Group strep B and homebirth - what to do? (sorry long post)

[helpmedecide]

I am not sure what to do. I am on my third pregnancy. This time I had planned a homebirth.

situation is:

1. I probrably had strep b with other two without knowing about it and they are fine.

2. I had a very fast labour with last dc (3 to 8cm in 30 mins)

3. in order for this baby to be covered by antibiotics during labour I would need to have antibiotic injections 6 hours before giving birth, considering last labour only 2.5 hours total, this is unlikely to happen.

4. I had one postive strep b test at 33 weeks, so possibly not an active problem now

5. the danger time for baby is between when waters have broken until birth. Both my last births waters have not gone til last minute.

6. Only 1 in 1000 babies born to mothers with strep B are affected (a third of all women have strep b)

7. however those that are affected are in a very vulnerable situation and baby would need antibiotics

8. my nearest hospital is 40 mins away, so has implications for both getting to hospital in time for giving birth and if baby born at home and needed antibiotics.

So I am confused as to what to do, if my labour is the same as last time, I will not make it to the hospital to give birth, let alone get the antibiotics into me.

As most babies with strep b are from un-diagnosed mothers, should I just treat the situation as if I am not strep b, but be more acutely aware of what I should do if any of the warning signs appear?

Please I need some opinions - what should I try to do?

some excellent info here group b strep and homebirth

I don't think anyone can tell you what to do,. you sound like you're pretty well informed anyway.
all you can do is get all the info you possibly can and then make your decision based on that.

are you able to have the antibiotics at home? in some areas this is available in other areas not.

As you know, your risk is even smaller if the baby whooshes through the birth canal so quickly. The babies who are more at risk, as I understand it, as those where there's a long 2nd stage, head clip etc etc. But your baby probably won't be in contact with the GBS for any time at all. Are you planning a waterbirth? I was told that a waterbirth reduces the risk further still.

Could you arrange for the community midwife to make extra post natal visits and carry out the same obs that would be done in hospital? You could have a v low threshold yourself for calling the hospital, if you are worried about the baby.

I sympathise with your dilemma - I have GBS too and have quick labours. My 4th is due in June and I've pretty much decided in favour of a hospital birth. But I have a few other factors weighing against home birth - without them it would have been a very difficult decision.