group b strep testing

ducky1502 · Sep 27th, 2010, 07:20 AM

I have been reading a bit about strep b testing. Is this something many of you ladies have been tested for? Or will you be getting tested? Its about £35 to get it done privately and part of me is tempted to get it done.

What do you all think?

kellis · Sep 27th, 2010, 07:33 AM

I found out i had group b strep after i had swabs done at the hospital because of bleeding. To be honest it never occured to me to be tested for it but now i know it's scared me a little. I guess it's worth doing if it puts your mind at ease but the impression i got was that it's better to have it done a bit later on as it can come and go so may not show up. someone please correct me if i'm wrong.

39YrMumtoOne · Sep 27th, 2010, 08:01 AM

The thing about group B strep is that it comes and goes unpredictably, so you could test positive for it today and negative next week. This means that if you get a negative test it doesn't mean you're not a carrier - which is annoying if you've paid £35 for testing!
I wont be getting it done, but I already know I'm a carrier (tested positive on a routine swab taken during my last pregnancy). My hospital wants to give me antibiotics as a preventative treatment and as I'm high risk and need to be monitored it's not really any added problem.

Kerrieann · Sep 27th, 2010, 08:05 AM

Same as others have said, it comes and goes, my sister tested positive when she went in to be checked for orange disharge which i dont think is a symptom tho. She had to have antibiotics and stay in a couple of days when she had baby. I really think everyone should be tested at 37/38 weeks as routine as there can be major problems if its undetected. In didnt know you had to pay to be tested tho i thought you could just ask ur gp to do a swab??

ducky1502 · Sep 27th, 2010, 08:11 AM

I'm going to bring it up at my next mw appointment. See if they offer it. Not keen to pay for it if it could come back as negative even though I am a carrier! See what she has to say about it.

crazyrae · Sep 27th, 2010, 09:07 AM

Yeah, they talked about this in our nct classes. They reckon you should get tested at 37weeks+ so you can see towards the end if you have it and if so, let your docs know so they can do something about it. I have got the testing kit through from a website (there are a few - here's the one I used for UK: http://www.mullhaven.co.uk/gbs.htm) that do the test and it will cost £32 to send it back for results. I know it'is a little expensive and a bit unpredictable, but it's better than nothing really in my mind

crazyrae · Sep 27th, 2010, 09:15 AM

Here's some more info about it - I guess knowing if you are a risk means you can at least let the midwife etc know and even if antibiotics are decided against, you know what to look out for afterwards - but just to add, the extreme outcomes are still rare, just one of many things for us expectant mums to worry about!! http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnanc...h/groupbstrep/

Katumz · Sep 27th, 2010, 09:25 AM

I had it done but it was covered by medicaid so I didn't have to pay a thing also I think it was mandatory but I live in Florida sooooooo......

SweetFramboiz · Sep 27th, 2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducky1502

I have been reading a bit about strep b testing. Is this something many of you ladies have been tested for? Or will you be getting tested? Its about £35 to get it done privately and part of me is tempted to get it done.

What do you all think?

Will be tested for it in one week time and i think that its good to know b4 baby comes just in case i need antibiotic so wont infect baby

AriannasMama · Sep 27th, 2010, 09:32 AM

I think they automatically do that in the US. I was tested around 37 weeks for it.

Sep 27th, 2010, 07:20 AM	#1
ducky1502 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Posts: 4,220	group b strep testing I have been reading a bit about strep b testing. Is this something many of you ladies have been tested for? Or will you be getting tested? Its about £35 to get it done privately and part of me is tempted to get it done. What do you all think?

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 07:33 AM	#2
kellis Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 715	I found out i had group b strep after i had swabs done at the hospital because of bleeding. To be honest it never occured to me to be tested for it but now i know it's scared me a little. I guess it's worth doing if it puts your mind at ease but the impression i got was that it's better to have it done a bit later on as it can come and go so may not show up. someone please correct me if i'm wrong.

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 08:01 AM	#3
39YrMumtoOne Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: UK Posts: 202	The thing about group B strep is that it comes and goes unpredictably, so you could test positive for it today and negative next week. This means that if you get a negative test it doesn't mean you're not a carrier - which is annoying if you've paid £35 for testing! I wont be getting it done, but I already know I'm a carrier (tested positive on a routine swab taken during my last pregnancy). My hospital wants to give me antibiotics as a preventative treatment and as I'm high risk and need to be monitored it's not really any added problem.

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 08:05 AM	#4
Kerrieann Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 3,266	Same as others have said, it comes and goes, my sister tested positive when she went in to be checked for orange disharge which i dont think is a symptom tho. She had to have antibiotics and stay in a couple of days when she had baby. I really think everyone should be tested at 37/38 weeks as routine as there can be major problems if its undetected. In didnt know you had to pay to be tested tho i thought you could just ask ur gp to do a swab??

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 08:11 AM	#5
ducky1502 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Posts: 4,220	I'm going to bring it up at my next mw appointment. See if they offer it. Not keen to pay for it if it could come back as negative even though I am a carrier! See what she has to say about it.

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 09:07 AM	#6
crazyrae Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 454	Yeah, they talked about this in our nct classes. They reckon you should get tested at 37weeks+ so you can see towards the end if you have it and if so, let your docs know so they can do something about it. I have got the testing kit through from a website (there are a few - here's the one I used for UK: http://www.mullhaven.co.uk/gbs.htm) that do the test and it will cost £32 to send it back for results. I know it'is a little expensive and a bit unpredictable, but it's better than nothing really in my mind

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 09:15 AM	#7
crazyrae Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: London, UK Posts: 454	Here's some more info about it - I guess knowing if you are a risk means you can at least let the midwife etc know and even if antibiotics are decided against, you know what to look out for afterwards - but just to add, the extreme outcomes are still rare, just one of many things for us expectant mums to worry about!! http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnanc...h/groupbstrep/

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 09:25 AM	#8
Katumz Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 82	I had it done but it was covered by medicaid so I didn't have to pay a thing also I think it was mandatory but I live in Florida sooooooo......

Status: Offline

Sep 27th, 2010, 09:32 AM	#10
AriannasMama Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 5,637	I think they automatically do that in the US. I was tested around 37 weeks for it.

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