Group B Strep (GBS), testing in the UK, any of you bought a medisave test kit?...

[Eleanor ace]

Is it right that the test normally is right for about 5 weeks after you've done the swab, so for example if I do it at 37 weeks that results should take me right up until the birth. I'm just concerned as they say you need to have the antibiotics at least 4 hours before baby is born, and my first labour was just over 4 hrs so I'm sure this one will be much shorter therefore don't know if the antibiotics would have time to work. Like you say though, I didn't know either with my first son so don't know if I had it or not and he was fine. Most of the time I think they are, it's just when you know about these things, you worry more.

I'm GBS+ and was worried about not getting the AB's for long enough (my 1st labour was 6 hours). At my hospital (It might be different elsewhere) they get you to go in as soon as you feel contractions or your waters break and hook you up. If you don't get the AB's for the full 4 hours LO is monitored for 6-12 hours, but stays with mum. My consultant said that if you have s short labour LO is exposed t the infection for less time so the risk is lower

 

[fudgecake251]

Oh thank you for that Eleanor, thats eased my mind a little bit. x

 

[Hard_working]

If you find out whether you're carrying GBS late in pregnancy, then it's likely you'll still be carrying it when you deliver - which is why countries which do routinely test for it do so at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy. Earlier testing isn't as predictive for labour. It's good to know about group B strep when you're pregnant because, if you are carrying it, you can take preventative measures to reduce the risk of GBS infection in your baby plus of course you and your health professionals will be especially alert to signs & symptoms to watch for.

There's lots of info about group B strep on the Group B Strep Support website https://www.gbss.org.uk

 

[kstan]

I got my result back from medisave as positive. Hops have accepted results and now class me as high risk and cannot have a water birth now. Kinda wish I'd never told the hospital now x

 

[dan-o]

Me too, sent off on Monday, got results back on Thursday tea-time.
Gutted I'm positive again, as my home/water/mwl birth is now off the cards... but at least I know and can insist on iv abs no ARM no matter what excuses they come up with!

 

[kstan]

Are you going to argue yr case for water birth? I can't see any evidence To suggest why we shouldn't be allowed one. I'm going to throw the nice guidelines at them tomorrow which state that all women have the right to access water as a form of pain relief and should challenge any hospital that denies them this. If its such high risk then why don't the nhs test for it instead of leaving it to chance x

 

[kstan]

Just spotted you're 5 days after me. I'm due on 13th x

 

[dan-o]

Yep I'm certainly gonna ask some questions at my 38w appt on Thursday. Especially as a lady who is delivering at my other local hospital has been given the ok to use water if its available!

I'm looking at another back to back labour as well, so I really want to avoid being stuck in delivery suite for my whole labour!

 

[Hard_working]

Are you going to argue yr case for water birth? I can't see any evidence To suggest why we shouldn't be allowed one. I'm going to throw the nice guidelines at them tomorrow which state that all women have the right to access water as a form of pain relief and should challenge any hospital that denies them this. If its such high risk then why don't the nhs test for it instead of leaving it to chance x

Interesting - likewise I haven't been able to find any evidence that you shouldn't
have a water birth if you're carrying GBS. I checked out the GBSS website and only found stuff saying it should be ok, all other things being equal - see here. Do let us know how you get on!

 

[kstan]

I met with the consultant mw today and she has agreed I can have a waterbirth. She agreed that laying on my back hooked up to monitors would have no benefit to me. Id suggest that you ask to speak with yr hospital consultant mw or hospital birth planner. Good luck. Hope u all have a lovely easy birth x

 

[dan-o]

Just to update baby Vincent was born at 38+2, 7lbs5oz.
I had another precipitate labour and he was born less than an hour and a half after arriving at hospital, so my antibiotics were only administered 1 hour before delivery! My waters were intact for most of it and he only spent a few minutes in the birth canal so any exposure would have been minimal. We had to stay on the ward for 2 hourly observations and then went home when he was over 12 hours old. Seems fine, no signs of infection, he's two and a half days old now, so fingers crossed.. and the antibiotics made no difference to me.

My midwife said a water birth would have been absolutely fine with her, but we didn't have time to fill the pool lol

Linky:
Link to My birth story