Group B Strep at 13 weeks

[DisneyLady1]

Just had a call from the midwife to say I have group B strep, which was picked up in my booking appointment tests.

I'm being prescribed antibiotics for it.

Hi anyone else had this in the first trimester and did they manage to get rid of it by the birth?

Does it mean I'll be hooked up to an I V during birth?

No other symptoms really, I'm quite surprised.

You cant get rid of GBS - its a bacteria that between 20-40% of all women have and it comes and goes. So it may have naturally disappeared by birth or it may not, but it can still be risky for newborns, which is why you get the antibiotics if you've ever tested positive. I was told that there isnt a treatment as such during pregnancy (although it can cause UTIs, which are often prescribed antibiotics alongisde). It very rarely gives symptoms so most women dont know they carry it.

There's great advice from this charity: www.gbss.org.uk If you follow them on Instagram, they post loads of helpful information.

I always found this page specifically helpful: https://gbss.org.uk/info-support/group-b-strep-testing/what-does-my-test-result-mean/

Yes, you will be advised to have antibiotics during labour as GBS is very serious for newborns - it can cause sepsis, meningitis and pneumonia. My trust still allows you to have a water birth etc if you want one so it shouldn't restrict your birth options too much.

It's actually a really good thing that you have been diagnosed - i did not know i was a GBS carrier in my first pregnancy and my daughter developed sepsis caused by the GBS at 23hrs old. She was very seriously poorly and spent 2weeks in NICU, which all could have been avoided if i had been able to have the antibiotics in labour. You should be given a sticker to put on the front of your notes and just make sure everyone involved in your care during your labour knows you had GBS as they will be able to just give you a little extra monitoring. I'm now 30w with my second pregnancy and will be having the antibiotics this time, even though im currently testing negative, to reduce the chances that this baby will develop the same illness.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond so thoughtfully @CrispAppleStrudels - it is really appreciated.

I'm so sorry you and your daughter had to go through that tough time. I can't imagine how difficult that would have been. Wishing you the best for your new baby :)

I think I was quite surprised to hear about it because it was never mentioned when I had DD1 just over a year ago, but perhaps it wasn't showing up on tests at that point. I've been given antibiotics to take immediately so I think they've perhaps found an active infection too (I can't remember exactly what was said on the phone call to be honest, as it came out of the blue).

Good to know about though, as you say and very grateful that I've been tested for it.

@DisneyLady1 I had it with my first child and it scared the life out of me. Try and stay away from Google but in reality it's soo common and as long as you get 4 hours of antibiotics before the baby comes out of the birth canal it's usually fine. I had the antibiotics via a drip as soon as I got to the hospital and my little girl was born healthy. By the time I had my second I'd tested negative and I didn't need to have any antibiotics. It can come and go on its own, so it could even go by the chance you give birth. They don't routinely test or atleast they didn't when I had mine a few years ago but you can book in for gbs tests via private midwifes, its not too expensive. Most people have it at some point. Congratulations on your pregnancy! 🙂