Group B Strep

[Jessika]

so...
I was in hospital for a couple of days last week with contractions...they thankfully went away and I was diagnosed with a uti, they did a routine swab, started antibiotics and i went home.
My doctor called me today to say the swab had come back positive for thrush (tell me something i didnt know) and group b strep. I have now been told that my labour, whenever it starts, i need to go straight to hospital to have iv antibiotics as there is a risk that the baby could catch the infection and in rare circumstances can cause 'complications' for the baby.
I have read a little about this and it does seem to be fairly common but i cant help being a little worried...
Do any of you ladies have any experience with this and/or are in the same position??
thanks xx

 

[all_iz_well]

Hey hun...didnt want just read and run...really sorry to hear what uve had to go through, i do hope that u are feeling better now and taking appropriate medication to treat it. Hope someone can advice u from experience, to help u ....get better soon xx

 

[Jessika]

thanks love, they said no treatment now, only in labour xx

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

I had group b strep with both of my two! With #1 I got 2 lots of antibiotics in labour but with #2 I laboured so quick I didn't have time, didn't make it to hospital lol! They just monitored her for a few hours after birth doing her temps and stuff! I don't know how much you've read, but it's really quite common and it fluctuates in the body so it might show up one week but not the next!

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

I have tested positive for this too, it has given me three UTI's in this pregnancy. Its no biggy really, you will have IV antibiotics during labour, at least 4 hours before delivery if at all possible. They told me they will monitor the baby for 12 hours

 

[Jessika]

thanks ladies, that makes me feel much better, i want to spend as little time in hospital as possible!! You would think though that the doctor could have asked me to make an appointment rather than tell me over the phone, I was in shock and didnt ask any questions, just think it would have been better face to face, at least I have you guys!!!!!!!

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

http://www.gbss.org.uk/

I found this site to be really useful! x

 

[Jessika]

just checked it out from one of your old posts!!! thanks so much xx

 

[rainbow dancer]

I was put on antibiotics really early on in pregnancy (didnt know i was at that point!!) because i also had group strep b infection. The midwife was a bit vaque as i told her about it and she told me they would maybe need to give me iv antibiotics in labour but would cross that bridge when rqd!!!! she wasnt my allocated midwife and am seeing my next few weeks so will ask her to elaborate a bit more!. xx try not to worry at least they are aware that you have it xxx

 

[Rayoflight]

This is lazy, I could google it but prefer hearing explanations from real people - what is strep? what does it mean?

 

[rainbow dancer]

We all have a certain amount of it in the body but lies pretty undetected unless the levels of it rise then become a problem. Mine was detected by high vaginal swabs. I was getting terrible pains in my side and just felt pretty crappy so thats when i went to the docs and they done the tests. i was given a course of antibiotics which seemed to do the trick. the only thing is as pregnancy goes on and all the stretching etc its hard to detect if its all the stretching or if it has returned!! i hope this helps xx

 

[rainbow dancer]

heres a link for you xx http://www.dhpe.org/infect/strepb.html

 

[Rayoflight]

Eek! That doesn't sound too good. How else do they diagnose this? As in, if you hadn't gone to hospital, is there a test they do for it anyway?

 

[rainbow dancer]

When i was poorly with it they done blood test, checked urine and high vaginal swabs dont think they would routinelycheck for it. Trynot to worry xx

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

About a quarter of all women carry this - its called being colonised - it doesnt usually cause a problem but during birth it can transfer to the baby during delivery and cause an infection. The website link above gives all the info you could need about this

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

They don't routinely test for it, but I remember being told you can buy DIY swabbing kits off the Internet and send them off!

 

[Jessika]

thanks for the site, my MW was as suspected, not interested at all. I am now on regular codiene and crutches for my spd, a 7 day course of pessary's for thrush that won't budge, having constant BH's and am strep b positive, all i ask is a little support from my MW and i have had none...i am not normally a moaner and it took me that long to get pg this time that i daren't moan but i really dont think i am asking too much of her!!!