Hmmmm, but ONE of the big problems with Step B is that babies do catch it even when their mother's don't carry it. This being the case, you can't assume that when babies do develop it, they have caught it from their mothers. The test also is not reliable, it only picks up 50% of cases, and I think another user has posted that for the test to be accurate it needs to be repeatedly performed over a series of days. Our MW implied that the easiest way of telling if a baby does get it, is by carefully observing the babies behaviour - something which I assume all MW are aware of. Sadly some babies will die of it, even those whose mums have been taking anti-biotics during labour. This might make sense as the route of transmission is not clear. It is a horrible complication and of course it's dreadful when it leads to infant death, but (for me) the problem is that it has been turned into a political campaign by the current opposition, playing on the fears of us expectant mums..... There are so many things that can go wrong, but most of the time they do go ok.
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Group B Strep Testing????
- Thread starter Lyndsey
- Start date
Thank you for your reply ginger pig - it was very helpful and did shed a different light on things.. I have a lot to think about and hope to chat to my midwife about this on MOnday... I think at the end of the day you have to rely on the professionals to give you the right treatment but recently the NHS have let me down and I am worried that the care I am getting is not the best!!!
I will let you know what happens on Monday!
Thank you for all your replies
I will let you know what happens on Monday!
Thank you for all your replies
Good luck Lyndsey - it really is awful to have something else to worry about isn't it? We brought it up (actually it was OH) at our parentcraft classes, and the MW's there were really helpful about it. I think there are something like 700 000 babies a year born each year, and my SiL (who was really terrified about Strep B) said that something like 170 babies a year die of it. I've read other figures that quote between 100 to 200 babies, although I think up to about 700 can get it. I wouldn't want to say these figures are reliable though as it's based on my memory which at 7 months pregnant is useless lol. Even so, it shows that it is a tiny amount of babies that do die from it, less than 1 %.... This is why I feel it is so unfair that it has been turned into a vote winner 
So sorry you feel let down by the NHS, I've missed out why as I post so infrequently, but I will mooch around and find out why. So sorry you're spending the last few weeks of your pregnancy frightened
Good luck on Monday and looking forward as to how you get on.
So sorry you feel let down by the NHS, I've missed out why as I post so infrequently, but I will mooch around and find out why. So sorry you're spending the last few weeks of your pregnancy frightened
Good luck on Monday and looking forward as to how you get on.jaidy - I used to work as a nurse in the Navy and there was no limit to the amount of medication/dressing etc you could use.......
When I left the Navy and worked on an NHS ward I got officially told off as I was seen to be "wasting" resources.
Thereis an anti sickness medication that costs about 12p per injection. For most people it works fine but for others it doesn't work at all.... there is another on that costs about £1 and another one that costs about £3 ( I think don't quote me on the prices though!! ) I had tried all the others so gave this poor woman the expensive one ( it was prescribed) She felt 100% better but I was told I shouldn't have bothered as she was terminal and I was wasting money!!!!! I left the NHS that day and I have never worked for them again! ( I have since worked in Prisons and the private primary care sector.)
When I left the Navy and worked on an NHS ward I got officially told off as I was seen to be "wasting" resources.
Thereis an anti sickness medication that costs about 12p per injection. For most people it works fine but for others it doesn't work at all.... there is another on that costs about £1 and another one that costs about £3 ( I think don't quote me on the prices though!! ) I had tried all the others so gave this poor woman the expensive one ( it was prescribed) She felt 100% better but I was told I shouldn't have bothered as she was terminal and I was wasting money!!!!! I left the NHS that day and I have never worked for them again! ( I have since worked in Prisons and the private primary care sector.)
hello Girls!
I have asked the golden question today and have been told some interesting news.
Aparently if you have a urine test at our local hospital they automatically test for this anyway!( they put the little urine strips into a computer thingy and get an electric print off...... ( wow the NHS doing something off their own backs!) So the fact that I have had about 6 tests recently and no one has said anything to me means that I do not have groupd B Strep!
I thought it had to be a low vaginal swab but my midwife has said that it is also present in urine if you do have it.......... so there you go! So I won't be worrying about this anymore...
( This is not something that is normally done at the GP surgery with normal urinalysis strips ..... they have to use a computer thingy! thats dead technical isn't it!!!! )
I have asked the golden question today and have been told some interesting news.
Aparently if you have a urine test at our local hospital they automatically test for this anyway!( they put the little urine strips into a computer thingy and get an electric print off...... ( wow the NHS doing something off their own backs!) So the fact that I have had about 6 tests recently and no one has said anything to me means that I do not have groupd B Strep!
I thought it had to be a low vaginal swab but my midwife has said that it is also present in urine if you do have it.......... so there you go! So I won't be worrying about this anymore...
( This is not something that is normally done at the GP surgery with normal urinalysis strips ..... they have to use a computer thingy! thats dead technical isn't it!!!! )
Oh, that's good news Lyndsey.
I sent off for that test (from link i posted before) and it's arrived so I think I'll check with my midwife next visit and make sure they are checking my wee too! If not, I might see if she'll do the swabs.
L x
I sent off for that test (from link i posted before) and it's arrived so I think I'll check with my midwife next visit and make sure they are checking my wee too! If not, I might see if she'll do the swabs.
L x
