Strep B test?

[laurat]

Hey ladies,

I was wondering how many of you get this on the NHS if you ask. Also do you think its worth asking? I dont know yet if I can but plan to ask at my 38 week mw appointment. From what Ive read if you have it at the time of birth it may cause some complications to your baby. This can be avoided if you know you have it and the treat you with antibiotics. They generally dont test for it routinely but are vigilent to the signs of a Strep B infection in babies. You can also have Strep B in one test that goes away in another which is also why they dont test too early.

Ive found a website that send you a test kit free and then you send it away and pay £35 privately to get results. Im considering this at 39 ish weeks if I dont get it on the NHS. I feel at this point if I did test positive for it yhen Id want the mw etc to know.

Any thoughts?

 

[Robyner]

I had been pondering this myself, I think it's sensible if you want to test at 39 weeks. I know they can pick up infection in urine tests and be alerted that way, but not always.

 

[laurat]

Yeah it seems as though the swab is more effective than urine. My thought is kind of around the idea Id rather know and be treated for it rather than wait for button to get symptoms and be infected if you know what I mean. Id imagine that would be stressful in the first few weeks. I also wonder why they dont just routinely check here for it just before labour if possible as they don in Oz and America. I think it may be a cost thing with the NHS which to me is why I dont mind paying for it.

 

[Robyner]

It probably is down to costing.

 

[Becky1]

I've been looking into this as well. I think part of the reason nhs don't test is as you've mentioned it can show up in one test and not another. Also just because you carry it doesn't mean it will be passed on the baby. I think the concern for the nhs is putting mums on antibiotic drips when there is no need.

Just not sure what to do.

 

[fairypants]

I'm not sure this will be any help but I'll share my story and thoughts anyway.
I went into Triage a couple of weeks ago and one of the tests they apparently did whilst doing an internal was for GBS. I knew nothing about this until I had a phonecall a few days later telling me it had returned positive. So chances are, if you've been in and had an internal for any reason, you may have already been tested. Personally, had I known anything of GBS, I would have been asking for a test!! From reading up, it is suggested the best time to test is between 34 and 37 weeks, but if there is a possibility you might have it, they will test at any time, so I'd be getting on to the MW asap if you're concerned. Yes, knowing is most definitely better, so that you can be given the IV anti-biotics during labour, but even if you find out very early they won't give you anti-biotics before you're actually in labour. In most cases, if GBS is picked up in a baby's tests when they're born, they're given some anti-biotics in hospital and monitored for a few days then most (and that's a BIG most!) are sent home all good and well with no lasting effects at all. I just hope you're not reading too much of this from google type information or you'll be scaring yourselves silly and as much as the GBSS website is factual and the one NHS staff will tell you to go to, it will also scare the pants off you!! It certainly did me!! Luckily I saw my MW just after I got that call and read all the GBSS website stuff, so she was able to reassure me that those kind of complications are so few and far between, that aslong as I get the anti-biotics as soon as my waters have broken, there should be no need to worry at all! I'm even still allowed my water birth if that's what I want, so it doesn't affect anything else. Oh and the reason it shows up in some tests and not others, as I discovered, is that it has to be a very aggressive strain of GBS to be present in a urine sample, where as any hint of the bacteria can develop from a vaginal or rectal swab. (So not picking it up in a urine sample would be a good thing!)
Definitely talk to your MW if you're that concerned though, it might just lay your worries to rest if nothing else. Hope there's something helpful amongst this...

 

[laurat]

No this was helpful fairypants thanks. I dont allow myself to google things as I know that its always worse case scenarios you get. I read my one informative baby book and the NHS website. The reason its been in my head was at my parenting classes a while ago the mw had mentioned it and at the time I thought why dont they just test pregnant women when fully cooked just incase. Ive just been swabbed as well and have bacterial vaginosis which made me see the section on Strep B in my book. Im on antibiotics for VB so made me think of what if I had Strep B too.

I think ill ask at my mw at the next appointment. As you say its rare to pass anything on to bubs anyway. Its just one of those things where by nature Im a pro-active person so feel I would want to know in advance if I had it and take the precautions.

 

[fairypants]

Good good, glad to be of help. As I said before, if you've had a swab, the chances are it would've been one of the things tested for while they were there and doing it. Check with your MW, but I wouldn't mind betting you were tested for GBS too, which if you've not been informed you have it, you're probably negative! As my MW told me, if you have a swab for any reason what so ever during pregnancy, GBS is on the list to test for, even if they don't mention it at the time! Fingers crossed for you!

 

[Corrinne37]

I was diagnosed with strep b , whilst pregnant with my son as had a tiny bleed and had to have checks done.
I googled it and really worried myself, I knew the worst thing to happen was for my waters to break early and thats what happened and I was left 4 hrs (as really busy on the labour ward) .
I was in such a state of panic my whole labour and really had a bad time of it. I had to be induced pretty harshly too to get the baby out asap (prob cos id been left for so long !)

They wont test me either this time, I just automatically get the iv anti biotics.
But I am going to push for testing, as I want this labour to be a different experience and wont to go with my body more, and do hypno birthing to keep me relaxed but that means as little intervention as pos and so not to be induced. So I really want to know if i do currently have it should my waters break early again!!

My little boy did contract some of etrp virus (again prob as i was left so long!) and we had to stay in for a few days so he had the antibiotics he is fine now a very healthy little boy, but i did put myself through an awful lot of worry !!

Sorry waffling xx

 

[Robyner]

Do you get discharge from strep b, or any other symptoms?

 

[fairypants]

According to official information there are no symptoms. My MW said the only symptom she's heard of is a white, watery discharge, but not everybody gets even that!!

 

[Robyner]

Thanks, it's just that mine has been yellow ever since pregnancy. I did do a swab at the start of the pregnancy at the hospital and they said it was clear of infection. Occasionally is been a Limey green colour!

 

[Steffy198]

I was diagnosed to be pos for strep b infection, I worried so much at first and google really didn't help, it was a big mistake to google it !! but than my doc and midwife reassured me that its very rare that the baby will have serious complications. the most important thing is that they know about it so that I ll be on iv antibiotics as soon as I start labour.. I ve been hospitalised for UTI , than after some tests they diagnosed this infection..

 

[laurat]

The more I hear its definetly best to know if you have it so you can get the IV antibiotics. Reckon ill probably pay the £35 if my mw hasnt or wont do it!

 

[Robyner]

How high up do you need to put the swab, any idea?

 

[laurat]

If its anything like the one I had to do on Mon for BV it was a wee cotton bud and literally just inside did it. Imagine it would be the same. Could be wrong.

 

[fairypants]

I think it's a case of if it's there, it's there so I would imagine a swab would pick it up even without being that far in. It is definitely best to know if you are positive because then you give yourself a chance to protect baby during labour and it should get rid of it for you too. Doesn't mean it won't come back though, as it comes and goes throughout life if you're a carrier. Could be worse, it couldhave nasty symptoms, but that's why it's so easily left undetected and untreated!

 

[Robyner]

Thinking seriously about asking mw. When you had your swab, howl long did results take to come?

 

[fairypants]

I would if I were you Robyner, if you don't ask you don't get and at a time like this, you can never be too cautious! The worst she can say is no, but if you make her aware of how much it's worrying you and that if she can't/won't do it, you want to know the best way to get tested and quick.
I had the swab on a Thursday afternoon and got the call on the next Tuesday afternoon, so results don't take long. Think it would have been quicker had there not been a weekend in the middle.

 

[laurat]

I had a swab on Mon this week and had the results back by Thurs.