Tested positive for Group B Strep

Torani · March 2012

And now I'm freaking out. I really really really don't like the possible outcomes. Anyone else and what did your OB say? My next appt is Monday morning, so please talk me off the ledge!

AprilSherlock · March 2012

I tested positive too, and my OB told me not to worry about it, it just means they will have me on an antibiotic when I get to the hospital when I go into labor. If my OB or Midwife don't seem concerned I don't really worry all that much either. Of course I looked up a bunch of information, which scared me, but I've gotta remember google is the devil when it comes to wanting to calm yourself and get accurate and trusted information.

Torani · March 2012

AprilSherlock:
I tested positive too, and my OB told me not to worry about it, it just means they will have me on an antibiotic when I get to the hospital when I go into labor. If my OB or Midwife don't seem concerned I don't really worry all that much either. Of course I looked up a bunch of information, which scared me, but I've gotta remember google is the devil when it comes to wanting to calm yourself and get accurate and trusted information.

Good to know I'm not the only one. I think I'll still spend the first few months freaking out looking for signs of infection though.

chouli77 · March 2012

Relax. I tested positive in week 10. They had me take a course of penicillin then, and let me know that I would get an IV antibiotic during active labor so that the baby gets some more protection. The goal is for him to get 4 hrs of antibiotic before pushing. My OBs are very calm about it. Its not uncommon.

MommaMel94 · March 2012

AprilSherlock:
I tested positive too, and my OB told me not to worry about it, it just means they will have me on an antibiotic when I get to the hospital when I go into labor. If my OB or Midwife don't seem concerned I don't really worry all that much either. Of course I looked up a bunch of information, which scared me, but I've gotta remember google is the devil when it comes to wanting to calm yourself and get accurate and trusted information.

I was actually about to do just that.. I got tested last week and still dont know the result yet. I didnt really want to ask on here, for fear of sounding ignorant, but you said google scared you.

So I'm asking you, what exactly is Group B strep? Ive heard that if you have it then your put on antibiotics for labor and delivery, and that its no big deal. But Ive never bothered to worry about it until now.

chouli77 · March 2012

MommaMel94:

So I'm asking you, what exactly is Group B strep? Ive heard that if you have it then your put on antibiotics for labor and delivery, and that its no big deal. But Ive never bothered to worry about it until now.

Its a bacteria that has colonized your vulva and vagina. If it is in numbers great enough to show up in a urinalysis, they decide to treat you during L&D. Its harmless to you, but can be harmful to baby for vaginal births w/o antibiotics. CAN be, there have been women who deliver so fast the baby doesn't get the full 4 hrs of your IV antibiotics and those babies have been fine. Its a precaution.

hurricanelydiaa · March 2012

I tested positive during my first pregnancy and everything turned out absolutely fine. They gave me the antibiotics through my IV while I was in labor and I hardly even noticed it.

katcarls · March 2012

Try not to freak out, it's really not that big of a deal. You'll get antibiotics during labor and everything will be fine. The chances of your baby getting infected are only in 4,000. Even without antibiotics the odds of your baby getting infected are only 1 in 200, still extremely unlikely.

skibunny59 · March 2012

I also tested positive and my midwife acted like it was no big deal. You just have to get antibiotics while in labor every four hours. My midwife said that it is best to get to the hospital in time to get two doses although one dose is better than nothing. It also doesn't mean you have to be hooked up to the IV pole the entire time and confined to the bed. My midwife said I will have a heplock and the IV will be attached for the time it takes to get the antibiotics (20 minutes or so) and then it would come off. If being able to move around and walk during labor is important to you I would talk to your OB about that.

My sister in law was positive with both her pregnancies. For her youngest, she didn't have time for the antibiotics so the baby was tested after he was born. The tests came back fine but they still gave him antibiotics in the hospital just to be safe. He is a very happy, healthy 2 year old.

morethancottoncandy · March 2012

katcarls:
Try not to freak out, it's really not that big of a deal. You'll get antibiotics during labor and everything will be fine. The chances of your baby getting infected are only in 4,000. Even without antibiotics the odds of your baby getting infected are only 1 in 200, still extremely unlikely.

This. It's not anything to get worked up about.

FroggyFarts · March 2012

I tested positive for strep with #1. The only thing that meant was get into the hospital asap so that they can get antibiotics rolling in the IV to ensure it doesn't affect baby.

I think my antibiotics only took about two hours to administer at the rate they set it in the IV so it was fine.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. With the antibiotics administered, your LO will very likely be born 100% fine. Our LO had no complications because of the strep at birth.

ChristieandChristopher · March 2012

I too tested positive with this pregnancy and freaked out feeling "dirty". Such is not the case at all according to my doctor as EVERY female will colonize group b strep bacteria in their lifetime with no outward effects. Testing in the latter portion of pregnancy assures the status to expect at delivery so that precautions can be taken with the administration of antibiotics so that baby will have some protection against infection.

MommaMel94 · March 2012

chouli77:
MommaMel94:

So I'm asking you, what exactly is Group B strep? Ive heard that if you have it then your put on antibiotics for labor and delivery, and that its no big deal. But Ive never bothered to worry about it until now.

Its a bacteria that has colonized your vulva and vagina. If it is in numbers great enough to show up in a urinalysis, they decide to treat you during L&D. Its harmless to you, but can be harmful to baby for vaginal births w/o antibiotics. CAN be, there have been women who deliver so fast the baby doesn't get the full 4 hrs of your IV antibiotics and those babies have been fine. Its a precaution.

Thankyou.

JURAH · March 2012

I tested positive. My Ob says it changes nothing except the need to have two doses of antibiotics at least (will take 4 hours to administer once the iv is in). I asked her if this will effect my hope to labor at home for awhile, and she laughed in the nicest way possible and said sorry Hon, but as a ftm it is very unlikely you'll have a shorter than 4 hour labor, so labor until you feel that you need extra support and then come in.

Torani · March 2012

Thanks for reinforcing the little voice in my head that knows the percentage is so low (less than 1%) that something would happen. I just need to remember to remind the nurse when I go in to L&D! I will probably still watch DS2 like a hawk for the first three or four months, looking for early onset or late onset GBS infection. I'm so silly, because DS1 had a vacuum birth, which has a 3% chance of complications, and I wasn't worried about it at all!

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