GBS in first trimester ??

[DrumAndMonkey]

I’ve just been told I have Group B strep abs I’m 8 weeks. They’ve told me I need to take antibiotics so will pick them up tomorrow.

I’m so worried, stupidly googled and amongst the positive stories of most people not knowing and everything being fine, I’ve read about miscarriage and how it can affect things during pregnancy.

I know there’s not a lot I can do, but I’ve already had bleeding due to a sub chorionic haematoma so now beside myself thinking it’s already been passed on!

Has anyone any experience of being told they have gbs in the first trimester?

Hi didn’t want to read and run. I had this diagnosed via a urine test at a midwife appt when 18weeks. Was a bit of a shock and I also googled and scared myself. Had antibiotics and the water infection cleared up though may need antibiotics when having the baby (though c section so not sure on that). Anyway - main thing to note is that they know about it now and can deal with it rather than it going untreated. I just kept telling myself this and it calmed me down a bit.

I haven't had this but a friend of mine has, and hers was only diagnosed I think in the 3rd trimester. I think around 40% of women are carriers of GBS and majority of women who have it go on to have natural births and healthy babies without even knowing, so the fact that you know about it removes a huge risk factor. I've only ever heard of it causing a potential problem during the birth not the pregnancy, and from what I know you just get hooked up to an iv of antibiotics when you go into labour and baby might get some when they're born as well which will prevent any infections. It's one of those really transient ones which is why it's not routinely tested for on the NHS, someone could test positive 5 weeks before the birth and then at the birth test negative or vice versa and for those that do test positive or have it at the time of birth the risk is tiny tiny. Hope all goes well, if you're feeling worried or anxious speak to your midwife and ask for some reassurance!

As a pp said, its a huge % of women who have it, usually without knowing, it comes and goes. I agree that knowing, and having it marked in your records, is a big positive (although it doesn't feel like it now). I've had it in both pregnancies. Try not to worry, good luck.

I’ve had it in all my pregnancies.

My eldest they didn’t know he was a poorly after birth but it was all fine (a week in hospital).

For DS2 a swab at 36 weeks showed I had it again so they gave me antibiotics during labour and we were in 24 hrs after birth for observations

With dd it showed up at the 8 week mark
When I had a swab buy my consultant had decided already that I would be treated as Gbs positive throughout my whole pregnancy as I’d had it in 2 labours and had one poorly baby! Turns out when the time came the swab they did during labour showed I was gbs +ve again so I was glad they gave me antibiotics regardless

Ah thanks everyone that’s really helpful. Sorry your baby wasn’t well @Vodkabulary, did you have to have antibiotics at 8wks? They’ve prescribed me penicillin and have no idea why. I had the IV drip in my last pregnancy because of a few different factors on top of being gbs + so expected that again but unsure why I’d be on antibiotics now