What is Group B Strep?
Group B Strep (heretofore known as GBS) is a naturally occurring bacteria that is found in the digestive tract and is used to aid in digestion. One in four pregnant women will be "colonized" at the time of delivery, meaning the bacteria has flourished and is prevalent in the digestive tract and birth canal.
How do I know if I have Group B Strep?
You may carry GBS with or without symptoms. It can cause bladder infections in more severe cases and also cause vaginal itching and unusual discharge. If you are pregnant and are experiencing kidney infections or bladder infections your doctor will perform a urine test for GBS and treat with antibiotics to reduce the colonization.
Your doctor will also test for GBS colonization between your 35th and 37th week of pregnancy. This test will show whether you are colonized at the time of delivery or not. While your status can change during that time, the test is as accurate as they are able to get at this point.
What if I am GBS positive?
If your test comes back and you are Group B Strep positive, per the CDC guidelines, you will be given antibiotics during labor to reduce the colonization of GBS and the likelihood that your baby could develop complications from the bacteria. If you are GBS positive, you want your doctor to limit the amount of internal exams and monitoring since infection can be forced upward and infect the baby. The IV antibiotics are given every four hours during labor and will also be given for c-sections because the baby is still at risk.
What if I go into labor before my GBS results are back?
The CDC recommendations are that anyone with any of the following risk factors should receive antibiotics:
- A previous child with a GBS infection
- Labor before 37 weeks
- A history during pregnancy of GBS in urine
- A fever of 100.4 or higher during labor
- Rupture of membranes 12 hours or longer
My baby was born, what do I do now?
From Birth to One Week, GBS infection is called Early Onset and is usually caused by colonization during labor. Group B Strep is the leading cause of meningitis in newborns during the first week of life.
From One Week to about Three Months, GBS infection is called Late Onset. This infection could come from many places, including from labor or from "life" as we call it.
Warning signs to watch for include:
- High-pitched cry, shrill moaning, whimpering
- Marked irritability, inconsolable crying
- Grunting as if constipated
- Projectile vomiting
- Feeds poorly or refuses to eat
- Sleeping too much, not waking for feedings
- High or low temperature; hands and feet may still feel cold even with a fever
- Blotchy, red, or tender skin
- Blue, gray, or pale skin due to lack of oxygen
- Fast, slow, or difficult breathing
- Body stiffening, uncontrollable jerking
- Listless, floppy, or not moving an arm or leg
- Tense or bulgy spot on top of head
- Blank stare
Group B Strep is a fast-moving infection and care should be taken to get medical attention quickly if you see any of these signs and symptoms.
What are the chances of GBS infecting my baby?
About 25% of pregnant women carry GBS in colonized amounts in their digestive tracts and birth canals.
A pregnant woman who tests positive for GBS and gets antibiotics during labor has only a 1 in 4,000 chance of delivering a baby with GBS disease.
She has a 1 in 200 chance if she does not get antibiotics during labor.
The chance of your baby contracting late-onset Group B Strep is 1 in 20,000 and is not changed by receiving antibiotics.
What are long-term effects of Group B Strep infection?
GBS manifests as sepsis (blood infection), meningitis and pneumonia. It can cause babies to be miscarried, stillborn or die after being born. Long-term effects can be blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and other mental and physical chronic conditions.
Should I be scared now?
No. You are now educated. You have knowledge and we all know knowledge is power! Here are a few resources for more information on Group B Strep.
