Group B Strep

[haidri]

Hi lovelies, I'm 35+2 with a baby above percentile & therefore they want me to naturally induce my own labour in the next two weeks or else they'll artificially induce themselves.

I have STREP B so I'm wondering if any mum's in the same position know when I'm supposed to go in? Do I go in when my waters break? Or when contractions begin? Because I know I've got to be on IV the whole way

Congratulations, not long left!!

Yeah go in or at least call them when your waters go so they can start iv antibiotics. This was something I really worried about in my pregnancies but never an issue in the end!

There is always a chance you won't actually be positive when you go into labour weirdly enough so don't worry too much if you aren't in immediately, my waters went as a slow leak with my first so it was important to get antibiotics for me and then as a precaution directly to DD straight away but all was fine.

@Wallawallakoala did they keep you in after or were you allowed to leave the next day

I tested positive at about 20 weeks (found accidentally). I paid to be retested privately at 37 weeks and it was negative. Hospital still wanted to give me antibiotics as a precaution, which made no sense to me as they don’t screen women as standard and I actually knew I didn’t have it whereas the vast majority of NHS patients have no idea. Anyway I refused, they then tried to give antibiotics to my baby, I also refused. They asked us to stay in 24 hours for monitoring instead so I did that.

With my first I had to stay in but for a few reasons, one of them was because DD was having the precautionary antibiotics due to group b Strep HOWEVER my waters we're slowly leaking for about 4 days so this was a big factor.

Oh sorry DD was 5 weeks prem too so another's factor. Sorry the reason I'm saying this is because I wanted to say they know what they are dealing with and sometimes go overboard with precautions. And to show you it's not an immediate worry if my waters we're going 4 days and all was ok!

I was induced at 38 weeks with GBS. They have me antibiotics through labour, I gave birth at 2am and was home by 4pm. Don't stress. Just make sure if not induced that you go in as soon as waters break for the iv drip :)

@Wallawallakoala I'm glad it all ended well with no complications from strep b

@JanuaryPinks it seems that IV feels imposed upon me then because they didn't give the option of declining either

OP tbh group B strep is no joke and if I’d had it I would have gone in at first contraction to make sure I got the antibiotics. My issue was that I actually knew I didn’t have it and so didn’t want unnecessary antibiotics. Why don’t you do another swab now? If you get it done at 36/37 weeks it is 96% predictive of your GBS status at delivery. All the info you need is here: gbss.org.uk/

PS of course you are free to decline any medical intervention, but have a read up on the risks before doing so.

Apparently it's not even worth swabbing again because if you don't have it one day you might have it the next. It's definitely a controversial debate whether to do screening or not as standard. Anyway I'd go with it, it's on their radar and your baby will be monitored very closely anyway so you are in the right place, antibiotics or not.

Definitely get in when you can to get the antibiotics, but just be reassured that they are aware of it and have procedure to deal with it.

I had GBS with my second baby - I went in when my waters broke, but would also have called if contractions had started. I had a speedy labour with my first so I didn't want to hang around!

Antibiotics through IV when I first arrived and then a second dose injected through the cannula four hours later (so, no IV line). Had a pool birth on the midwife-led birth centre so the GBS had no impact on that side of things. I could have gone home shortly after birth but it was late and I decided to stay for the night. DS had obs done every two hours to be on the safe side, but all was grand and we were home the following day.

@Wallawallakoala

Apparently it's not even worth swabbing again because if you don't have it one day you might have it the next. It's definitely a controversial debate whether to do screening or not as standard. Anyway I'd go with it, it's on their radar and your baby will be monitored very closely anyway so you are in the right place, antibiotics or not.

Definitely get in when you can to get the antibiotics, but just be reassured that they are aware of it and have procedure to deal with it.

It’s right of course that you could have it one day and not the next, but if you do the gold standard test within 5 weeks of birth then its result is 96% accurate for GBS status at birth. The closer to the birth you do the test the more accurate it is. I had a negative result at 38 weeks so was confident to refuse the antibiotics on that basis at 40 weeks.

Info is here: gbss.org.uk/info-support/group-b-strep-testing/what-does-my-test-result-mean/

I went in just as my waters broke, DD arrived before they had everything ready (almost gave birth in the triage bit) and they kept me jn for 24 hrs after as i hadnt had the antibiotics. Had i had them i would have them in doses i think so still fine for the pool etx

Etc. *

I would just call as soon as either one happens, tell them you have GBS and see what they say.

At 37+5, my waters broke before contractions started (about 16hrs later) and DD was born 14hrs later. I had ordered a GBS test but didn't know the results yet. Turned out i was positive and DD developed GBS sepsis. She was in NICU / SCBU for two weeks before coming home. I dont say this to scare you but to make the point that as you have the information we were sadly lacking, you can be very proactive in getting the antibiotics and so reducing the risk of any complications.

Good luck!

Yes you're all right. From what I'm reading, I'm going to call maternity triage the moment I notice any inkling of labour coming