Group B Strep

[coco_cukoo]

Was told yesterday that I've tested positive for this - and they only knew from a swab for thrush! I don't have thrush but have group b strep instead! MW said i'll have to have an IV drip during labour (I'm hoping this doesn't interfere with a water birth). Has anyone else got this or had a baby with this?? Slightly worried after reading about it online I'm amazed they don't routinely test for it cos it can be bad if not treated & passed onto baby xx

 

[leesey]

Kanga did a thread on this last week, now I'm thinking I need to get tested too cos I was saying my dc was the same as yours... Got the doctor today so will ask then.
Sorry you've had this rubbish news xx

 

[mrz85]

I have strep b and was told the same as u

 

[coco_cukoo]

Oh right, I must have missed that thread - will search for it

It's crap isn't it, so worried! Although the MW said don't worry & don't search about it on the net (but didn't actually tell me much) of course I was gonna search!! Xx

 

[Hope81]

I may mistaken but I think kanga was told no water birth and consultant led labour

 

[mrz85]

yes u cant have a water birth

 

[coco_cukoo]

Arrrrrrgh no way!!!!! I read somewhere that you can as you can keep your hand out the pool & they have waterproof covers for the canula. I'll speak to my MW about it all next week. I'm annoyed now xx

 

[Lolly85x]

I think I read somewhere no water birth as the iv will have to be administered and baby monitored. Maybe you will need to ask about it. Really glad you have found out now rather than later. So scary to think that it is not a routine test...x

 

[kanga86]

I am sorry u have been diagnosed with this too it does suck! I wanted a water birth too but my mw has said no. And no to the midwife led ward. Our labour wrd at the hospital does have a pool but it doesn't get used much, but I am going to push to use it still. I will go armed with the info from the web saying other people have been able and see what they say. I will have to let u know what they say! Xx

 

[tinkerbell86]

What are the symptoms of this? Did the midwife swab you there for it?

 

[kanga86]

No symptoms for it as far as I know. I found out about it after having a swab done to test for thrush. I had my test done at the doctors xx

 

[FirstBabyEek]

Sorry to chip in, but are there any fall back positions/final checks for someone who has Strep B, but has gone undiagnosed before labour? I'm guessing Strep B is rare otherwise it would be a routine test, just concerned that several lovely ladies on here have been diagnosed with it.
xx

 

[leesey]

Yeah it seems to be much more common than I thought. I assumed it would be hardly anyone, yet loads of girls here have just tested positive for it so it must be fairly common. I've heard before that there are petitions and stuff to get everyone tested for it, but the thing is cos it comes and goes they can't be sure if you test negative you'll not later test positive

I got the doctor to swab me today while I was there cos I said about the change in my discharge (which I previously just thought was just one of those things!) just in case. As if I've not had enough go badly already though! She did say that I was awfully inflamed 'down there' but she didn't say what this might be symptomatic of so she was maybe just passing comment

As for the drawbacks, I think it's only really bubs that gets affected, so as long as they get a mouth swab at birth to check then they can be treated with antibiotics there and then. I don't think mums have anything to worry about xx

 

[kanga86]

About 30% of women carry the strep B bacteria and as leesey say it can come and go. I could be swabbed today and be clear of it.

I think the reason it's not a regular test is because only roughly 700 women of 230,000 (thats 0.3%) pass the bacteria on to their newborn! So if everyone one was swabbed for it so many more women would be on the labour ward getting antibiotics just incase they might pass it on. Then u would have an influx of ladies onthe labour wards rather than midwife wards and not giving the room on the wards for serious labour complications.

If u were to pass it on to ur baby it is usually picked up on within hours of their birth and the baby would be tested for it and given antibiotics, so the majority of the 700 babies in the uk affected are perfectly fine.

Please don't worry urselves ladies!! Xx