Group B Strep

smmatt08

My doctor called this morning to say my urine sample last week tested positive for Group B Strep. They are putting me on an antibiotic now. When I asked if this would be a reoccurring issue for the next six months, her answer wasn't clear. I wasn't aware they tested women for this in the first two trimesters. I (already) unnecessarily stressed myself out by googling it.

Any BTDT moms dealt with this? Is it basically a non-issue outside of being treated with antibiotics during labor and delivery?

(Sorry to start a new discussion, this didn't seem to fit anywhere else!)

freckledlemonade

I'm surprised they tested you for this so early too.  I don't remember the exact week I was tested with dd, maybe around 34-36 weeks or so.  I was positive with her, we'll see with this baby.  It really was a non-issue, aside from the fact that if your water breaks I don't think they want you laboring at home after.  My water didn't break with dd, so when I went into active labor they just gave me IV antibiotics.  I think it can be more of an issue in the case of very fast labors because I believe they need a few hours to get you antibiotics. 

I do remember being advised not to turn to google because there's some scary things you can find that you shouldn't worry yourself with...too late now sounds like.   Don't worry about worst case scenario crap you see on google.  From what I've heard GBS positive is VERY common.

kelliott09

I'm sorry, I haven't dealt with this myself but I have never heard of testing for it this early either or in a urine sample. Not saying it isn't possible, just wondering why we have to get our butthole swabbed if it's something they can test your urine for?? From what I've read on it in previous pregnancies, it shouldn't be an issue and you're just given an antibiotic at delivery.

nlane0723

I also agree that it's odd you were tested so early and with a urine sample?  I didn't get swabbed until 34 weeks.  I didn't have any complications and I just had to have antibiotics during L/D.

freckledlemonade

kelliott09 said:

I'm sorry, I haven't dealt with this myself but I have never heard of testing for it this early either or in a urine sample. Not saying it isn't possible, just wondering why we have to get our butthole swabbed if it's something they can test your urine for?? From what I've read on it in previous pregnancies, it shouldn't be an issue and you're just given an antibiotic at delivery.

I totally forgot about that!  You're right, I'm surprised they found it just with a urine test @smmatt08

smmatt08

No idea why they tested. I was there last Thursday, gave the standard urine sample, then got a missed call today about "test results." I figured it was a UTI, I tend to get those. Instead the nurse said I tested positive for group b strep and that she would call in a prescription. She said that each time I come in for an appointment I would have to pee in a cup (which I knew) and they would test for it every time. It was an odd conversation, partially because I wasn't expecting anything to come back abnormal, so I didn't know the right questions to ask. I figured it was a standard thing for my doctor's office to test for so I didn't ask why they tested early!

(Edited because the bump ate some words.)

kmalls

Hmmm that's strange. I definitely thought GBS was only identified via the butt swab around 36 weeks. I had it with DS and it was only a minor issue because I ended up needing an emergency c-section before they were able to put me on antibiotics during labor. That just meant DS was on antibiotics immediately after birth, but it was no big deal. 

aesthyerin

I was tested right around 36 weeks and got my results right before I went into labor. It wasn't a big deal I just had an iv with antibiotics

waterfall213

I've never heard of testing for it through a urine sample. Like others have said, it's usually a swab done between 34-36 weeks. 

joyful08

kelliott09 said:

I'm sorry, I haven't dealt with this myself but I have never heard of testing for it this early either or in a urine sample. Not saying it isn't possible, just wondering why we have to get our butthole swabbed if it's something they can test your urine for?? From what I've read on it in previous pregnancies, it shouldn't be an issue and you're just given an antibiotic at delivery.

THIS IS A THING?!?! Nothing could prepare me for this new found knowledge. I don't like anything near my butthole let alone in it. 

kmalls

@joyful08 I was horrified when I heard about it, but it's done so fast you don't even realize what's happening. It's not like they stick a swab all the way up there (which I totally thought would happen), but they just kinda...brush the edge. Ha.

joyful08

kmalls said:

@joyful08 I was horrified when I heard about it, but it's done so fast you don't even realize what's happening. It's not like they stick a swab all the way up there (which I totally thought would happen), but they just kinda...brush the edge. Ha.

Well that's at least a little better. I wish I had never heard of this and it was just a surprise at the appointment. Now I have months to dread it. Yay. But I'll do whatever I gotta do to be able to have this baby so swab away! 

agogo1

Yeah, to echo others...I've never heard of a urine test for this and I had mine done around 36 weeks. Fortunately, after some brief directions my midwife allows patients to use the ladies room to swab their own behinds and turn in the swab in a little baggie. It's a little thing, but I so appreciate working with a care provider that allows me to maintain some additional dignity when appropriate. I don't give a hoot what they see, touch, etc. during birth and necessary exams, but it is nice to be treated as though I am intelligent enough to wipe my own booty with a swab. It's not exactly something that requires a medical degree. 

scorpiomer

Ok.....so if she was probably having urinary symptoms so they sent her urine for a culture and it came back positive for group b strep.  The doctors don't routinely screen urine for this.  It is normally a vaginal and rectal swab done around 36-37 weeks of pregnancy.  It is a qtip that you swab at the entrance to the vagina and then entrance to rectum...you don't feel anything.  And the previous comments are correct....you will just need antibiotics when in active labor or once water breaks.

cbamama641

My dr has never swabbed my butt for group b.. just the vag.  I was positive with the first (just received antibitoics in labor) and negative with the next two.  Just in case that helps anyone feel better

jt0707

So as a laboratory person, I can tell you that when they set up cultures for urine,  they always look for anything unusual,  so they probably saw the beta strep on the culture plate (it's very obvious because of the hemolysis on the plate) and have to report anything like that to the doctors. I'm sure they weren't doing any specific testing,  just coincidence that they caught it earlier in the urine sample...hope that clears things up a little! 

jt0707

Oh and to clear up the other issue, as far as I have ever been taught on the lab side, it's always a vaginally swab to specifically look for beta strep, not a rectal swab. 

scorpiomer

Well as a labor and delivery nurse who has seen and done more than my fair share of gbs swabs...where I work we do swab the rectum.

waterfall213

Jessicaerin0728 said:

Oh and to clear up the other issue, as far as I have ever been taught on the lab side, it's always a vaginally swab to specifically look for beta strep, not a rectal swab. 

I definitely had my rectum swabbed with my first pregnancy.

runningmama14

Mine was a vaginal swab, which I was allowed to swab myself for. 

gatorMom2014

My son came early the weekend after they did the test--before they had the results--so they had to give me intravenous penicillin just in case.  Well that turned out being the most annoying part of labor for me!  The nurse couldn't get the IV in my arm (leaving horror movie bruises all over my arm) so she put it in an extremely awkward part of my hand instead.  Then I was definitely not prepared for the fact that penicillin burns like a mother****** when they shoot it into you.  I had to drag my stupid, painful hand IV with me to the bathroom the 600 times I had to go before getting my epidural at 5-6 cm dialated.  It made it hard to even wash my hands.  

In in the end I found out I did not haven't group B strep, so the whole ordeal could have been avoided.

On a side note, I don't think anyone really told me before last time that after you get the epidural they give you a catheter. (Which I couldn't feel at all) and then you don't have to keep going to the bathroom over and over...it was such a relief!!

klv

I tested positive a few weeks before I delivered. Got antibiotics and it was a non-issue. 

I had the vaginal and rectal swab too

jt0707

Well the rectal swab is news to me!

kateleap

*TW, though trigger not related to the GPS question!*
For what it's worth, for my last pregnancy they also did a urine test at my first appointment and I came back positive and took a round of antibiotics; their hope was that it would resolve with the antibiotics before the second test closer to labor, but of course if not they said it would be a simply matter of IV antibiotics during delivery. I didn't carry that pregnancy to term so I can't say how it would have gone in the end.

They tested my urine at my first big appointment for this pregnancy as well (negative), but just chiming in because it seems that for a lot of OB offices this isn't standard but at least in mine it is!

BarrysBride05

I tested positive in urine earlier and had antibiotics, but negative later in the swab. I still had IV antibiotics during delivery (arrived at the hospital to push basically) because of having history during pregnancy. My midwife made it seem like it was not a major issue at all. 

kelliott09

Jessicaerin0728 said:

Oh and to clear up the other issue, as far as I have ever been taught on the lab side, it's always a vaginally swab to specifically look for beta strep, not a rectal swab. 

jt0707

I didn't doubt anyone! Just was taught something else...guess they were wrong! Good to know tho, otherwise I'd be pretty shocked when they did it! 

owlcup

I've had it for all three of my kids (along with the vag/butt swab!). I got the antibiotics with my first but my second two came too quickly that there was zero time for any monitors/IVs to be hooked up. I literally had my son about 15 minutes after getting to the hospital and my daughter was closer to 45 minutes. We just had to stay in the hospital an extra day for monitoring since we didn't get the antibiotics. Everyone is happy and healthy now.

queen_frostine

I gave a sample last week (14 then, 15 now) for a possible UTI. Just got a call saying it tested positive for Group B strep and they are prescribing antibiotics. I wish they'd given me more information on the phone, though. I have questions suddenly that I didn't think to ask in the moment =(

smmatt08

@RainMira9e what questions did you have after hanging up? Call them back. 

I am surprised that I never got a call after my appointment last Wednesday. Why did I test positive at 10 weeks but not at 15? Oh well, I don't mind not having to be on an antibiotic again! 

Schell2013

I didn't read the other comments. 
Whoa that's early to test for it. They don't do it here until 36 weeks. I had it last pregnancy but not with my first. I guess it can come and go, and it's NOT a big deal to have they just give you IV antibiotics when your in labor. 
So even if you have it at 36 weeks you may not at the time of delivery so the test is kinda silly. 

HWells920

As a Medical Laboratory Scientist specializing in microbiology for 7 years, let me hopefully shine some light on this. Group B strep is a normal inhabitant of MANY women's normal vaginal bacterial flora. It causes no harm to the woman and the only reason they screen for it is because it is very easy for infants to become infected with this bacteria during labor and potentially result in sepsis or meningitis. As a pp stated, they probably cultured your urine during a routine analysis and most labs have regulations stating they MUST identify ANY group B strep present in women of child bearing age because of how risky it is during labor. Typically the screen (which should be recto-vag) is done later in pregnancy but should you go into labor early, they would already have the result from your urine culture to proceed with treatment. They may choose to screen you again upon admission but at that point its kind of pointless as a culture takes at least 24 hours. Having been treated so early, you will likely be screened again and treated again before delivery since as I stated, this is a normal bacteria in the vaginal flora so it can and does come back.   I hope this helps and feel free to ask any other questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them from a microbiologist's perspective.

LiterallyAmy

When I went in for my first appointment they tested my urine. The doctor called me the following week telling me that I tested positive for strep B and he put me on an antibiotic. Like others said, he also told me I would need an antibiotic IV when I deliver. I'm not too concerned. Seems like a fairly routine and manageable issue...

MzOro82214

My 36/37 wk swab with my 1st came out negative but my DS was not showing good signs when he was born so they kept him in the NICU for 10 days on antibiotics. When they tested his culture during his NICU stay, it was positive for GBS. The same doc delivered DS #2 & she said she wasn't even going to test me, that she'd just give me the IV when I got to the hospital, he ended up staying for 7 days in the NICU but his culture was negative for GBS. Now, almost 10 years later I have a different doc who said they'll test me again @ 36 weeks. My first doc told me once you have it you always have it but I've since learned different.

queen_frostine

Well, reading online, it seems that it is normally in the vagina and anus but if it shows up in urine that indicates a larger colonization that is more likely to harm the baby. I got my antibiotic today (was going to wait until tomorrow when I was going to the store anyway, but then Dr. Google scared the living shit out of me). I'm hoping, though, that the sample might have been contaminated - they usually give me those disinfectant wipes to use before peeing in the cup and they didn't last time.

I don't remember all my questions (and many came later, after I read Google) but one was whether the baby could have my husband's antibiotic allergy. Google and the pharmacist both said no, plus the antibiotic they gave me (ampicillin) is likely not one my husband is allergic to anyway (he can handle 'cillins but not sulfas).

serendpt13

My urine got tested (week 11) and I tested positive again after I had a round of antibiotics during IVF for it about 3-4 months ago. I did my research and decided not to do the round of antibiotics while being pregnant as they are going to give me the IV anyways during labor and most are not tested until the end of the pregnancy. Why? They tried to eradicate it before, did not work, telling me now that it may be hard to eradicate anyways (probably leading to more than 7 days on antibiotics) and they will give me the IV anyways. I am allergic to amoxicillin and do not need any additional allergies during my pregnancy.