GBS (Group B Strep) and Pregnancy/Birth: What Does The Research Really Say?

[BellyBelly]

My Ob never tested me for GBS as it is a transient thing (i.e. you could be pos now and neg at birth or vice versa) and he said he monitors the baby and can tell if the bub has GBS or if it's high risk then he'd give abs. All Obs are different though, but this is coming from a fertility specialist, higher intervention Ob.

Also, on a recent Facebook status I posted: "E-coli is now the leading cause of neonatal infection, NOT GBS!!! #ican2011"

Someone replied with this: "This very reason is why the UK stopped routinely giving antibiotics to GBS positive mothers, instead watching baby for signs ands symptoms or testing the blood looking for markers. They had to high of an increase in E-coli infections, which is so much more serious for these little babies."

[Shanti]

Interesting article Kelly thank you for posting this.

I just got a call from my MW to say that I tested positive to strep b and am confused as to whether or not I should take the AB's or not during labour...... I need to do my research first.

[mom2be]

Is GBS for the babies?

[Ysabell]

I know that you've put the implications of over use of antibiotics, but what about the implications of have GBS (correct name is actually Streptococcus agalactiae) untreated? It can cause a urinary tract infection (which is of increased risk with pregnancy), premature labour, and PROM (premature rupture of the membranes) in the mother. As well as sepsis, meningitis, fever and respiratory distress in newborns, it can also cause a post partum infection for the mother - such as endometritis, with can lead to a pelvic abscess and septic shock.

Not only can having a LVS/HVS (low vaginal swab/high vaginal swab) taken and screened for GBS, it can also be used to screen for other organisms (such as for colonisation of Escherichia coli). Also, when I was working in a microbiology laboratory attached to a maternity ward, we *occasionally* found colonisation of Listeria monocytogenes in vaginal swabs.

Information taken from Bailey & Scott's et al Diagnostic Microbiology

[BellyBelly]

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...-odent-171460/