Hmm. Group B Strep = C-section?

JessMil10 · January 2010

DH's cousin once removed... second cousin... I DON'T KNOW... recently said she is having a planned c-section in April and isn't happy about it. We got to talking and since this is her first I asked why her doctor made this decision. She told me that she has Group B Strep and they don't want her baby to get it.

1. Apparently they tested her when she was in her first trimester, which I didn't know they do.

2. I never made it to the test and all they did was give me antibiotics in an IV.

Someone enlighten me!

Brit&Nate · January 2010

I've never heard of that. I was supposed to be tested at 37 weeks, but never made it, so they assumed I had it and gave me tons of antibiotics during labor, which sucked. I remember they burned so badly!

iris427 · January 2010

I think that is a ridiculous reason for a cesarean, in itself. Maybe she is allergic to a lot of antibiotics or something, so she can't have them in labor? IDK.

Angel037 · January 2010

If someone is positive for group B strep, all they need is antibiotics during labor. And they usually don't test until late in the third tri. That's odd..

JessMil10 · January 2010

Brit&Nate:
I've never heard of that. I was supposed to be tested at 37 weeks, but never made it, so they assumed I had it and gave me tons of antibiotics during labor, which sucked. I remember they burned so badly!

I know!!! I had the nurse tell me about when she would be back to give me more so I could get ice and numb my hands. My BIL works in the pharmacy and made my IV bag... I asked him next time to double the pain meds! lol

CA2006 · January 2010

I was GBS+ and had antibiotocs as soon as I got to the hospital after my water broke. That reasoning seems crazy to me. And testing that early is useless. GBS+ just means you are "colonized" around the time of delivery. Her GBS "status" can change from 1st tri to 3rd. Weird reason for a C-sec, IMO.

JessMil10 · January 2010

iris427:
I think that is a ridiculous reason for a cesarean, in itself. Maybe she is allergic to a lot of antibiotics or something, so she can't have them in labor? IDK.

This is what I think and I am wondering if she is a) lying or b) she has a horrible doctor. I have never heard of the test being done that early. She is very over weight and has already been in preterm labor once... so who knows.

*not to offend anyone overweight, I just know she is having issues because of it.

mlf625 · January 2010

Huh? I tested positive for GBS with DS, but my OB didn't say anything at that point about a c/s. They gave me an oral antibiotic to take in case I went into labor, and said I'd receive more drugs during the birth. I ended up with one, but it had nothing to do with GBS.

ErinNConnorsMom · January 2010

If I remember correctly, they test for Group B Strep so late in the pg b/c the status could change over the pg (you could have it in the 1st tri and it could be gone in the 3rd, or vice versa). I've always heard that all it requires is antibiotics during labor. I'd be inclined to think that either her dr is very pro c-section or that she doesn't know the whole story...

ajb1982 · January 2010

I'm am (or was?) Strep B positive and like the PP's said I just had to have lots of antibiotics during labor...

SBMBride406 · January 2010

Maybe she really has something else (STD) and doesn't want to tell you? Otherwise, the story makes no sense.

I had a c/s and my baby still got GBS "from the community" when he was 6 weeks old...just a random factoid.

mrsfrank · January 2010

Do you think maybe she has an STD or something? I totally don't mean anything by that I just know that if someone has an STD they might need a C section. My cousin had Herpes and eventhough she didn't have an outbreak at that point they still planned a c section so there wasn't a risk to her DS. She told people that she had something wrong that she couldn't deliver vaginally (She might have even said Group B strep) so she didn't have to explain the whole c section thing

JARbaby · January 2010

I had it and you just get antibiotics. It does NOT = c-section though I had one anyway.

MySweetBaboo · January 2010

I lurk! Wanted to pipe in, sorry! Just because she tests positive in the First Tri, doesn't mean she will at time of delivery, Group B comes and goes I think, anyway.

She must be allergic to antibiotics or maybe there are other reasons and she is making that up to hide the real reason? A c-section doesn't eliminate the risk of infection, either. Although they don't give a planned c-section mom antibiotics unless she goes into labor. Weird!

Mia Wallace · January 2010

Having an STD is the only thing that makes sense. I doubt an OB would do the strep test that early b/c it can change throughout the pregnancy and I can't think of any other condition requiring a c/s that someone would feel the need to keep quiet.

Buckets of Moonbeams · January 2010

Very, very strange. Maybe she meant something other than GBS? I was GBS+ with K, and I just had to have some antibiotics while I was in labor.

JessMil10 · January 2010

This is what I thought. Part of me wants to tell her her doctor is not correct and see if I can get more information out of her.

MySweetBaboo · January 2010

mrsfrank:
Do you think maybe she has an STD or something? I totally don't mean anything by that I just know that if someone has an STD they might need a C section. My cousin had Herpes and eventhough she didn't have an outbreak at that point they still planned a c section so there wasn't a risk to her DS. She told people that she had something wrong that she couldn't deliver vaginally (She might have even said Group B strep) so she didn't have to explain the whole c section thing

This is what I was wondering too.

iris427 · January 2010

OK I think here are the plausible options

1. She doesn't want to tell people the real reason she's having a C. (Maybe she has an STD or something, like pp suggested.)

2. Her doctor is a wacko.

If her doctor is really pushing her to have a c/s for GBS, that makes me sad.

teg · January 2010

iris427:

I think that is a ridiculous reason for a cesarean, in itself. Maybe she is allergic to a lot of antibiotics or something, so she can't have them in labor? IDK.

I have a lot of drug/anitbiotic allergies and was able to get IV antibiotics, but I suppose if there were no options they would do a c/s...

kickenb · January 2010

As an OB nurse, you can't test for this in the 1st Trimester. Well, technically you could, but by the time she went to full term who knows if she would even still be GBS+. That is a line of BS right there that they tested her in the first tri, it's against everything that ACOG would recommend. They don't want to test prior to 37 weeks. The reason for this is that GBS can come and go. They want to know the results closest to your due date to get the most accurate data.

There are many different antibotics they can give for GBS. Some strains are resistent to a certain antibiotic so they also test for that.

And even if you are GBS+ and a scheduled c-section, say your water breaks before your c-section. You will still need the antibiotics.

I have never seen a person have a c-section soley for the reason they are GBS+. They have always found an antibiotic to work on them.

Something else is going on and it has nothing to do with her being GBS+ or GBS-

SenoraKristin · January 2010

I got tested at 37 weeks and I was GBS+. They gave me antibiotics and I had a med-free birth.

*KatieH* · January 2010

That's not true and she should talk to her OB about it. I was GBS positive but had a csection for other reasons. Knowing your are GBS+ just normally means they will put you on antibiotics immediately when your labor starts.

BecauseICan · January 2010

I was GBS positive--they gave me two bags of antibiotics when I got to the hospital after my water broke, and I didn't have a c-section. In fact, it was never mentioned as a possibility at ALL.

drcolleen · January 2010

There must be something she isn't telling you, but as to the GBS thing, if you are GBS+ by urine culture at any point in your pregnancy (ie initial urinalysis is usually obtained to screen for asymptomatic bacturia) the "swab test" usually done at 36-37 weeks does not need to be done and you should be treated in labor. If you are allergic to penicillin the lab will test for sensitivities to other antibiotics.