Group B Strep

[debbie]

During the first twelve weeks of my previous pregnancy I was diagnosed of having Group B Strep. At the time I hadnt heard of it, but reading up on it I was quite frightened. I was given anti-biotics anti natally and also during labour and although my son was very poorly when he was born, doctors denied it was anything to do with the group b strep. I havent been to the doctors yet to confirm my pregnancy but i am really worried that I will carry Group B Strep again. Has anyone had a similar situation?

 

[ashley22]

What is it?

 

[debbie]

Since the 1970s, group B streptococcus (GBS) has been recognised as the primary cause of bacterial infection in newborn babies, resulting in disease at birth and up to 3 months of age.

Around a third of all men and women carry GBS in their intestines without symptoms and roughly a quarter of women of childbearing age carry GBS in the vagina at any one time. GBS is a normal body commensal (an organism that lives on another without harming it). A positive swab result for GBS means a woman is colonised with GBS at the time the swab was taken - not that she or her baby will become ill.

This is from the Group B Strep support website http://www.gbss.org.uk/ but there is loads of info on it. It scared the pants off me though when I read about it.[/quote]

 

[ashley22]

Sounds really serious. No wonder you were scared!