Group B Strep

[kirbay831]

Did anyone have a positive Group B strep culture in Pregnancy? How did it work out with labour etc?

Esp.. does anyone know anything about Group B strep and homebirths? Experienced it?

ALthough im not pregnant, my last pap revealed a major group b strep colony.. which was a result of lots of antibiotics etc... but yea, thats why im interested.. lol

K- TIA

[Ambah]

Yeah I had group B strep....
you know, I have heard they dont even routinely test for it anymore? anyone else heard this?

To tell you the truth, everything was such a blur during labour that I cant really remember... I think they added antibiotics to my drip??
Are they meant to give something to Bubs as well? If so, then Aidyn would have had something too... I dont know cause it was DP that went with him when he had to get his needles etc at birth.

[Deejoy17]

Ambah - I thought Strep B was still done routinely, perhaps I`m wrong. Thats right you would have had antibiotics through your drip when you went into labour, I`m sure they don`t give bubs anything, it`s just Mum which then protects bubs when he comes down the birth canal.

Also Strep B can come and go, you may have it one pregnancy but not the next.

I was negative to Strep B for this pregnancy.

Take Care

Deeanne

[BellyBelly]

Strep B testing goes in and out of fashion, largely because you can be tested for it, come back negative and then later get it before birth, undetected. There are signs that will indicate to your doctor that you have the Strep B infection during birth, which if detected will lead to you going on an I/V drip 4 hourly I believe. Also if you are found to be Strep B positive and you are in early labour, they are more likely to ask you to come in so they can get started on the antibiotics sooner than later.

[kirbay831]

Yea. They tend to test you towards the endof the preg, to try and be accurate to whether you are actually colonized during the birth etc.. and yea, the antibiotics are just to make sure the germ doesnt transfer to the baby etc.. I know my dr routinely tests for it in late preg (he told me lol), though I may not see him for my preg if I can have a midwife attended homebirth.

[Juliette]

I was wondering the same Shannon. My doctor hasn't mentioned a thing to me about it. I'm sure he would have discussed it with me by now....

[saslia]

I wasn't tested during pregnancy but they tested DD after the ceaser delivery. Turns out i had it, which they told me 3 days later that DD may have it (the day my milk came in so I was extra emotional!!!).

They tested her and she did not have it, but have to have antibiotics 3? times a day. This gave her thrush with a lovely rash that took several months to clear up.

[Lilly-Pilly]

Ok, excuse me for sounding like an idiot but what is strep B and how do they test for it and what happens if you have it?
thanks

[Ambah]

Hey Jules... maybe ask your OB about it?
I remember my Dr telling me that heaps of other Dr's weren't testing for it anymore...

Dee - to test for it, I believe they take a swab from your vagina?.. Again, I could be wrong, LOL, so I will let someone else answer your other questions...

[wardygirl]

I know I'll need antibiotics for Strep B as I was positive for it just before I conceived.

At my hospital - Birralee @ Box Hill - they do testing as a matter of course at 34 weeks - vaginal swab.

They will give me antibiotics when I come in during labour so that it doesn't transfer to my baby.

I'm not worried about it at all.

[Karina]

Can i just ask what actually is group b strep?? Never actually heard of it, and just a bit curious.

[Antheia]

I had the test done and it was routine for my GP.

[Belinda]

I asked at my hospital visit about this test as i had read so much about it on here, the doctor said they dont routinely check for it at that hospital because its not common enough, so the negatives outway the positive test results.
Also like someone else said, he said that he could test and it comes back negative then is positive at birth.

[kirbay831]

yea the test is just a swab! (which they normally do at any pap smear anyway!)...

and remember.. theyre gonna be touching your cervix soon enough anyway.. whats one small test...

K

[~Shimona~]

I had my test done at 37 weeks and for me it was just like a cotton bud that they give you and you go and do the swab yourself. Nothing intrusive at all if you're a bit iffy about those things. But they will be down there soon enough. Mine came back negative which was good.