Strep B - not sure what to think..?

[PossibiliTea]

I’ve just been told my swab shows I am positive for this, waiting for the urine result but not really sure what it all means.

I understand if I go into labour I need to get antibiotics straight away, but the advice on the gbs website frightens me a bit.

I feel lucky that it’s been picked up as I know it’s not routinely tested for but I am really worried it could mean serious health problems for the baby, especially as the antibiotics only reduce the risk don’t prevent the infection being passed on.

Think I just feel tired and overwhelmed...can anyone give any advice or experience?

GBS can cause serious infection in babies but if your doctors are aware of it they will observe your baby closely and treat early if they are suspicious.

At the moment your baby is protected inside the membranes! Unless you are unwell or have a high temperature there is no reason to think your baby won't stay perfectly comfortable and safe until term.

But it's important that once your membranes have ruptured you are in contact with the hospital to think about antibiotics to reduce any risk to your baby as much as possible.

GBS is a relatively normal bug to have down below and you haven't done anything wrong to cause it. In a local hospital there is probably a baby born to a mum with GBS every day. A number of these won't have had time to get enough antibiotics in labour or will show "suspicious" behaviour/signs (there is a big overlap with normal) for infection and then the baby will given antibiotics. In a local hospital there is probably a baby started on antibiotics every day (for many different reasons not just GBS) so that in itself is not an unusual or particularly worrying event.

Most babies who need antibiotics will be perfectly well during this process. Giving a well baby antibiotics is simple, usually lasts for 2-3 days, and babies can stay with their mum and do everything else normally.

Babies sometimes become unwell because of GBS and need to be admitted to the baby ward - often for simple things such as help to feed whilst they are feeling poorly. This is naturally very frightening for their parents - but even in those "worst case scenario" babies who seem very unwell and maybe needing lots of machines to help them - most will recover with no long term effects.

Really the babies who are at most risk of of becoming very unwell are those whose mothers are not known to carry GBS, as opportunities to notice that something is "not quite right" and to give antibiotics are more easily missed. Whereas babies whose mum's are known to have GBS will be watched fairly closely and the baby doctors will be "twitchy" about them.

You should be cautious in terms of acting quickly to inform your hospital if your waters break, you are going into labour or you feel unwell with a high temperature. And realistic about the possibility of having to spend a little more time in hospital than planned or that your baby might need antibiotics. But don't be afraid! There are lots of safety nets around your baby and the chances are overwhelmingly that everything will be completely fine.

Thank you so much I really appreciate the information and advice it really does help a lot to hear about these experiences and facts

I am much earlier in my pregnancy (1st trimester) but have GBS and a urinary tract infection as a result. I'm on antibiotics for the UTI now, and will need antibiotics in labour. The midwife and GP weren't particularly worried about the infection as long as I took antibiotics ASAP. There's a good chance I won't have GBS by the time labour comes, but the midwife said that they usually don't test a 2nd time in one pregnancy, and also because I've had the infection it seems be in quite 'invasive' and they'd recommend the in-labour antibiotics. I'm pleased it's been found-in so many women it's not!