group b strep testing?

[Tutter]

anyone know how you go about arranging a test?

or anyone any experience of testing positive, and implications?

www.gbss.org.uk/ is the link for info. There's a phone number to ring for a test. It gets sent out right away (got mine 2 days later). Costs £32 which you pay when you send the test back and they can text you the results aswell as send a paper copy (takes 3 days).

The test itself is 2 swabs - a vaginal one and a rectal one. You do it between 35 & 37 weeks. I found it difficult to reach around the bump so DH had to help out but it's very simple!

That should say takes 3 days from when they receive it!

thanks

may be being dim but can't find anything on the site about ordering a test

On the right hand side of the page there's a link to 'how can i get an ecm test...', you need to click on it...because of the setup I can't link to that page directly

oh yes

doh

sorry

I've tested positive for Group B Strep and the implications for me are to have IV anti-biotics every 4 hours from the time my waters break or contractions start properly. It does mean that if my waters go, I'll need to stay in hospital until labour starts, and if this isn't within a few hours, they'll induce to kick start it. I think thats all I've been told. I think you may have to stay in hospital an extra day so you can't leave as soon as you feel ready after giving birth. Am not 100% sure on that one though.

Good luck!

Hi there!
Had an appointment with the MW y'day and asked if I could have the test and she basically put me off having it done, due to the fact that they only act on it IF you are positive and the IF your water's break and your labour doesn't progress etc for like 18 hours OR IF you have a prem baby!

Thinking about it again they'd still need to know if I am positive or not if either of these two scenario's occur right?!!

Think I might just have the test done anyway, what do you think?
I said I wasn't too bothered about the money issue (JDaddy is paying for it anyhow)

My midwife has 'suggested' that at my next appointment which will be 37 weeks I let let her know I have been suffering from heavy discharge and she will then have to do a Strep B test. She advises that if she had done it this week (35 weeks) the result could well have changed by the time labour comes. I think she is a believer that all pregnant women should be tested which is good to know as I thought she may dismiss it when I asked.

FEP - I presume from your post that your mid-wife believes there is a link between discharge and Group B Strep.

I've been tested positive for Group B Strep previously and have what I thought was thrush but recently I've not been so sure. I asked if the discharge could be connected to Group B strep and my mid-wife was very clear that there are no symptoms with Group B Strep. I'm just not sure as I've read on here a few times about people have discharge type effects?

Hi, I would go for the test. I tested positive for strep b, have never really had any symptoms though.

If you test positive, as Chooster says you need anitbiotics when in labour. If there is not enough enough time for you to get the full recommended dose, you need to stay in hospital longer (24 or 48 hrs, can't remember which, sorry), so they can monitor the baby, there is an increased risk of the baby catching menigitis (still quite a small risk though). This happened to me both times, we are all fine though .
Hope this helps.

Hi Chooster - I guess so, we didn't discuss any side effects. I know my local midwives have recently attended a course on Strep B and have strong beliefs that everyone should be tested. There have been 2 babies born recently in our hospital who have been quite poorly. She said if I complained of heavy discharge should would automatically do the test for me. I didn't ask too many questions but i took away that it was a way of getting around the system. Not sure if discharge can be a sign of thrush touch wood its something I have never suffered from.

Hope that makes sense

I'm a strep b carrier and didn't have any symptoms. It was picked up when I had a swab taken for thrush.

kyala - If you are positive you should be given antibiotics even if none of the scenarios you mentioned happen. I didn't have long labours, my waters broke just before giving birth and my girls weren't prem but they where still unfortunate to have an infection soon after birth due to strep b. Fortunatley they recovered very quickly but may not have if I hadn't had any antibiotics in labour.

Been wondering about this myself. Anyone tested positive and had a homebirth with the antibiotics? I wouldn't want to have to go into hospital just because I tested positive if I could help it...