group B strep?

[mhazzab]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if any of you had group B strep found after your loss, and if so, what your consultant said about this, and what they would do in future pregnancies?

As some of you probably know, this was found in one of my daughters' lungs (Eve, who died during labour) and in the placentas. They couldn't tell me whether it was the cause of my prem labour, or the result of it.

This time around, last week, I had a swab done and today I got a phonecall to say they found GBS again. My consultant had discussed that she would possibly give me antibiotics if they found it close to the time I lost the twins, just as a precaution.

Today's phonecall totally freaked me out and really upset me. The midwife who phoned with the news obviously didn't know my history and so I had to explain to her. She said that in most cases this is a completely harmless thing, but in rare cases it can cause prem labour...ummm yeah that's why I was so concerned. She wanted me to wait till my next appt on 14th Feb to discuss this, but I said no way and I now have an appt tomorrow morning with the consultant. I was so upset after the conversation that I had to come home from work early.

I've obviously googled GBS and have the kind of info you find on the internet, I'm just wondering for those who tested positive for it before, what were you told about it and what were you told would happen if you tested positive for it in a subsequent pregnancy?

thanks xx

 

[OliveBay]

Hi Mhairi. I'm afraid I don't have any knowledge or experience of GBS but didn't want to read and run.

I am so glad that you put your foot down and managed to get an appointment with the consultant tomorrow. Even though you are bound to feel worried tonight, try to get a good rest and make a list of questions that you want to ask. Sending you lots of love and positive vibes Will be thinking of you tomorrow

 

[DueSeptember]

What is GBS?

 

[mhazzab]

What is GBS?

sorry...group b strep

 

[Andypanda6570]

Mhairi,
I don't have any info either, I am sorry . I would be a nervous wreck too and I am glad you are going tomorrow. Stay positive everything will be ok.
I hope someone can come in here and help you with their experience.
Thinking of you XOOXOXO

 

[Bride2b]

I *think* Krissy had it.....from what I remember.

Good on you though Mhairi for getting a quicker appointment!

xx

 

[Hellylou]

Poor you, it must be such a worry.

I hope the consultant can give you some proper answers tomorrow, though. I'm sure they will put together a proper plan of action to make sure this is under control. They can give antibiotics by the sound of it which will clear it up. I'm sure everything will be fine.

 

[Nikki_d72]

Hi Mhairi, they found it on a swab they did on admission on me and they also found it in the histology on the placenta. My consultant said that once you are a carrier you tend to be treated as you always are, but the MW (and my reading) points to it being quite transitory and that most women will have it at some stage in their lives and be unawares. It comes and goes.

Anyway, I asked if they would do swabs next time and he said there wasn't any point as there are many bacteria present in the vagina and finding them doesn't indicate any overgrowth neccessarily. I think I will argue this point though if it ever comes to it! I know "normally" it is only a problem if it overgrows to the point of getting into the urinary tract, so maybe insist on a urine culture to be done at your appt. I think as long as the bacteria can't get into the uterus it should'nt cause you problems but I completely understand your fear on this. With me there was no way of knowing if it descended before or after the membrane rupture because they were gone for 6 days. Can you ask for a cervical scan to check length etc? I say this because they think that if the bacteria *did* get in to cause the rupture with us it was more than likely due to cervical opening, they thought because of the twin pregnancy. Given that your girls were twins too it could be possibly the cause for you too and knowing your cervix is tight shut this time may put your mind at rest hon.

There is also a thread on GBS support as a sticky at the top of the home and natural birth" section here on B&B, some of the advice there is quite good, toward the end there is a lady who followed a regime to clear herself of it (7th Heaven, I think her Username is). Thay are all wanting to do it just so they don't have to get IV antibiotics in labour, we want the info for different reasons, but it may be useful nonetheless.

Thay will want to give you antibiotics Intravenously in labour to avoid it passing to the baby then, as that's usually the only time it can pass over - at birth. I've read about taking probiotics, preferably ones containing lactobaccilus (as these produce the lactic acid that is natural to the vagina) and even putting them in up there, to grow the good ones to keep the bad ones in check. I would suggest definitely the oral ones are beneficial, they have been shown to go through the indigestive tract and show up in the vaginal flora within a few days.

I hope I've caught you on time hon and you're not in bed yet. Please can you update and let us know how you get on? I'll be thinking of you and am pretty interested in this topic too, for obvious reasons. My Ob said they wouldn't even do swabs, I might have to pay the Gp to do them, as like you I really would want to know.

All the best tommorrow hon!
xxx

 

[Andypanda6570]

Hi Mhairi, they found it on a swab they did on admission on me and they also found it in the histology on the placenta. My consultant said that once you are a carrier you tend to be treated as you always are, but the MW (and my reading) points to it being quite transitory and that most women will have it at some stage in their lives and be unawares. It comes and goes.

Anyway, I asked if they would do swabs next time and he said there wasn't any point as there are many bacteria present in the vagina and finding them doesn't indicate any overgrowth neccessarily. I think I will argue this point though if it ever comes to it! I know "normally" it is only a problem if it overgrows to the point of getting into the urinary tract, so maybe insist on a urine culture to be done at your appt. I think as long as the bacteria can't get into the uterus it should'nt cause you problems but I completely understand your fear on this. With me there was no way of knowing if it descended before or after the membrane rupture because they were gone for 6 days. Can you ask for a cervical scan to check length etc? I say this because they think that if the bacteria *did* get in to cause the rupture with us it was more than likely due to cervical opening, they thought because of the twin pregnancy. Given that your girls were twins too it could be possibly the cause for you too and knowing your cervix is tight shut this time may put your mind at rest hon.

There is also a thread on GBS support as a sticky at the top of the home and natural birth" section here on B&B, some of the advice there is quite good, toward the end there is a lady who followed a regime to clear herself of it (7th Heaven, I think her Username is). Thay are all wanting to do it just so they don't have to get IV antibiotics in labour, we want the info for different reasons, but it may be useful nonetheless.

Thay will want to give you antibiotics Intravenously in labour to avoid it passing to the baby then, as that's usually the only time it can pass over - at birth. I've read about taking probiotics, preferably ones containing lactobaccilus (as these produce the lactic acid that is natural to the vagina) and even putting them in up there, to grow the good ones to keep the bad ones in check. I would suggest definitely the oral ones are beneficial, they have been shown to go through the indigestive tract and show up in the vaginal flora within a few days.

I hope I've caught you on time hon and you're not in bed yet. Please can you update and let us know how you get on? I'll be thinking of you and am pretty interested in this topic too, for obvious reasons. My Ob said they wouldn't even do swabs, I might have to pay the Gp to do them, as like you I really would want to know.

All the best tommorrow hon!
xxx

You are so great, Nikki..XOOXOXXOXO Thanks so much for posting and helping

 

[mhazzab]

Hi Mhairi, they found it on a swab they did on admission on me and they also found it in the histology on the placenta. My consultant said that once you are a carrier you tend to be treated as you always are, but the MW (and my reading) points to it being quite transitory and that most women will have it at some stage in their lives and be unawares. It comes and goes.

Anyway, I asked if they would do swabs next time and he said there wasn't any point as there are many bacteria present in the vagina and finding them doesn't indicate any overgrowth neccessarily. I think I will argue this point though if it ever comes to it! I know "normally" it is only a problem if it overgrows to the point of getting into the urinary tract, so maybe insist on a urine culture to be done at your appt. I think as long as the bacteria can't get into the uterus it should'nt cause you problems but I completely understand your fear on this. With me there was no way of knowing if it descended before or after the membrane rupture because they were gone for 6 days. Can you ask for a cervical scan to check length etc? I say this because they think that if the bacteria *did* get in to cause the rupture with us it was more than likely due to cervical opening, they thought because of the twin pregnancy. Given that your girls were twins too it could be possibly the cause for you too and knowing your cervix is tight shut this time may put your mind at rest hon.

There is also a thread on GBS support as a sticky at the top of the home and natural birth" section here on B&B, some of the advice there is quite good, toward the end there is a lady who followed a regime to clear herself of it (7th Heaven, I think her Username is). Thay are all wanting to do it just so they don't have to get IV antibiotics in labour, we want the info for different reasons, but it may be useful nonetheless.

Thay will want to give you antibiotics Intravenously in labour to avoid it passing to the baby then, as that's usually the only time it can pass over - at birth. I've read about taking probiotics, preferably ones containing lactobaccilus (as these produce the lactic acid that is natural to the vagina) and even putting them in up there, to grow the good ones to keep the bad ones in check. I would suggest definitely the oral ones are beneficial, they have been shown to go through the indigestive tract and show up in the vaginal flora within a few days.

I hope I've caught you on time hon and you're not in bed yet. Please can you update and let us know how you get on? I'll be thinking of you and am pretty interested in this topic too, for obvious reasons. My Ob said they wouldn't even do swabs, I might have to pay the Gp to do them, as like you I really would want to know.

All the best tommorrow hon!
xxx

You are so great, Nikki..XOOXOXXOXO Thanks so much for posting and helping

Yes, thankyou so much for taking the time to write this, I was hoping you would reply as I knew you'd had similar results to me in the past. You've given me some questions to ask tomorrow, will let you know how it goes xx

 

[Kaylattc]

I had group b strep and they said it would not cause any problems with my pregnancy.. And when I went into labor they gave me an IV of antibiotics during labor and my baby did not get it...It did not affect the baby while she was in my womb.Doctors also assured me it was very common for women to have strep b and that most women have it and assured me it would not affect my pregnancy it didn't...

 

[mumanddad]

After the loss of logan they found i tested positive for group strep b, this time around my consultant isnt going to test me he is just going to stick me straight on antibiotics when i go in to be induced.

Strep b comes and goes so he doesnt want to risk and infection by doing a swob, i would think your consultant will induce you like mine to reduce the risk x

 

[Nikki_d72]

After the loss of logan they found i tested positive for group strep b, this time around my consultant isnt going to test me he is just going to stick me straight on antibiotics when i go in to be induced.

Strep b comes and goes so he doesnt want to risk and infection by doing a swob, i would think your consultant will induce you like mine to reduce the risk x

Why do you need to be induced hon? Is it anything to do with the GBS, or something else? Hope you don't mind me asking

 

[Nikki_d72]

P.S, meant to say - so sorry for the loss of litlle Logan. Congratulations on your wee rainbow! xxx

 

[mumanddad]

Because i lost him at 43 weeks due to his cord they have said to get this one out early and i will have the best in there to stop it happening again.

I had an abnormally long cors with logan and alot of water and its looking the same again x

 

[Bride2b]

Ah it was Nikki that I was thinking of! Thats a huge wealth of knowledge there!

Hope all goes well today Mhairi xx

 

[mhazzab]

thank you so much to everyone for taking the time to share what you know, I really appreciate it. I just wanted to update you...and let you know what I was told.

GBS is very common in the vagina, a high number of women carry it at some point in their lives. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but, it can be dangerous to a baby as they have had no exposure to anything like this. As others have mentioned, the usual treatment is to provide IV antibiotics to mum before/during labour and monitor baby after birth.

Anyway, many pregnant women have it in the vagina, and it causes no issues throughout the pregnancy. In a very small number of cases, it can be the cause of premature labour. However, this tends to be in cases where either the GBS has gotten into the urine, which can lead to a urine infection, which if left untreated can cause preterm labour.
Or, where GBS has gotten into the uterus. The consultant said that the problem would be if there was an external dilation in the cervix the GBS could make it's way into the uterus and cause infection and therefore preterm labour. The cervix will usually only show dilation externally where there have been gynaelogical conditions / multiple D&Cs / other surgical procedures. I will be getting cervical length scan to check there is no opening of the cervix from the inside (top).

He told me that he didn't see a need to give me any antibiotics - the GBS could come and go during the pregnancy, and we would need to keep treating it. This would have an effect on the other bateria in the vagina, including the good ones. They tested my urine and found no sign of infection there and I will be getting cervical scan so for the moment we just keep going and as per usual keep the fingers crossed!

We agreed that the swabs may have caused more harm than good to my emotional state, but what's done is done. At least now I have another sticker on my notes stating that I have GBS, to join that one that says I am an angel mummy. My notes are getting thicker by the day...!

I think that covers everything that was discussed, thanks again to you all for your support it means a lot xxxxx

 

[Nikki_d72]

Ah thanks so much for updating, Mhairi. That pretty much matches what I was told then, so maybe I don't have to fight with him to give me swabs then!

I've read about women putting garlic up there to get rid of it too, but I don't know if I'd fancy that!

Maybe you could just orally take the probiotics if you want to feel like you're doing something? Looks like there is no risk until you birth anyway. I did mention the probiotics to my Ob and he said that was fine and a good thing to do, I forgot to mention that in the last post, I did ask him as I don't want to go self-prescibing things that are no good or potentially bad.

Glad your urine was clear, Gl on your scan, I'm sure it will be fine hon.

xxx

 

[mhazzab]

Garlic??? Ewwww no thanks! I think that would make for a stinky lady-place. Lol. Would the probiotics be one of those yogurt drink things? Will need to have a look in the shops next time Im there. Xxx

 

[Bride2b]

Glad he was thorough with you and seems like it has eased your mind giving you lots of info and reassurance. xxx Take care xx