Group B strep Infection - Home test

[Tessclarke788]

I'm currently pregnant with my first child (expecting in August). I heard about group b strep infection for the first time about a month ago. I spoke to my midwife who said that the NHS won't test for it and I need to buy a home kit privately. After shopping around for one for the last couple of days, I stumbled across one on wowcher. It seems to be from the same company recommended on the group B strep charity website and its quite a lot cheaper than anything else I could find. So, I thought I'd put the link in here for any other expectant mothers looking to get tested.

www.wowcher.co.uk/deal/shop/7458258/group-b-streptococcus-test-29

The reason it’s not tested for by the NHS is because the bacteria is transient. If you have a negative test now that doesn’t mean it’ll still be negative when you go into labour.
The (large, peer reviewed, scientific studies) evidence concludes that were group b strep testing introduced by the NHS more women would die from an allergic reaction to the antibiotic given than babies would die of group b strep. Please make sure you’ve read the NHS advice not just the fear inducing charities.

In addition in order to properly test for group b strep they have to use a specific test method and a certain test medium: how do you know the test you found on Wowcher conforms to that?

Thankyou for your advice. I've spoken to my midwife and GP about what you've said, and they've both recommended that if I'm worried about group B strep I should take the test, and they confirmed that the above test is the correct and accepted test method in the UK. Also, if I test positive the antibiotics they would use I've had before for an infection, so I don't need to worry about that. Thanks again for raising these points I know understand a lot more about group B strep, but for me it's just not worth the risk to my baby.

@ateapotandacake do you have a link to a study that said more women would die if given the antibiotics?! Because that really sounds like scaremongering. There are lots of reasons women are given antibiotics in labour, and generally speaking most adult women will know if they are allergic to antibiotics.

I've read around it as I tested positive for group b strep on a routine test for thrush in early pregnancy: my understanding is there are many countries where they administer the test as standard and therefore the antibiotics and I've certainly not read anything about increased mortality.

About 25% of women seem to carry group b strep without knowing, a bit like many of us carry MRSA in our noses without it being an issue most of the time. Without testing, in about 1 in 1000 cases it will transfer to the baby during delivery: with prophylactic antibiotics administered after a positive test that drops to 1 in 4000. They think that due to side effects of antibiotics - not, as far as I'm aware, death! - and the fact that many women don't actively have it in labour its not worth testing everyone in the population. But if someone has tested positive, they will administer the antibiotics regardless of whether they think you actively have it at the time.

I don't think I would have paid for a private test personally, but now I know I guess I"m glad I know. I would rather pay a private GP if possible than do an online test.