Group b strep home testing

[ck335]

Has anyone done a home GBS testing kit and it came back positive? Looking at getting one, but don't know what they will do if it comes back positive as me being a carrier.

What reasons do they test for it on the nhs? Only asking as I had meningitis in November so anxious about this baby getting an infection. Xx

Yes I did. I am so glad I did as it came back positive. I wrote it all over my notes and advised them of it when I went into labour. I was out in an IV drip while in labour and still managed to have a very straightforward water birth. I stayed in with my baby for 12 hours for observation and then went home. (I went home 6 hours after my eldest was born so it was a bit longer).

The time alone together was absolutely lovely, I cherished every moment and it really, really helped us bond.

I would highly recommend that everyone takes the test.

*put on an IV drip (sorry, autocorrect)

Yes I did, and it did come back positive.

As pp says it gets written all over your notes. However my trust does not insist on IV antibiotics during labour (although this is currently under review), they would normally just monitor baby for 24h after birth for signs of infection. I did actually get told I shouldn't have done the private test as they test for it in early pregnancy anyway . Though if you actually research you will know you can get it at anytime. And I did obviously insist on having the IV as I didn't want DS to have to have the antibiotics after birth. I was induced anyway, and strapped upto a monitor, so the drip made no difference to my experience.

I was GBS+ in my first pregnancy. I wasn't in the UK, so they tested routinely and I was put on antibiotics in labour, plus my DS was treated with antibiotics at birth. I got a home testing kit in my second pregnancy, but I was GBS- that time. Babies can die from GBS, so it's essential that you get tested and let your GP and midwife know immediately if your test comes back positive. There should be instructions with the test result on what to do, but do be sure to tell whoever is delivering your baby so they know to put you on antibiotics straight away.

Re: testing in early pregnancy - that's useless - you have to test at about 37 weeks, because the infection can come and go and not be present early on, whereas it can then be present at the time of labour.

I've looked into having the private consultation and testing done around 35 weeks, as I'm going to be induced around the 37 week mark and that will be too late to test and get results back xx

Yeah - that's fine OP. The point is to test as close to your due date as possible.