Tested Positive for GBS

[Sky13]

Hi,
I am a new member. I found out last Thursday that I am positive for gbs(group b strep). I am so nervous and stressed out. I talked to one of my ob's yesterday and she was very much against me having a c-section to possibly avoid the baby coming in contact with it. She said it is such a common thing that the antibiotics should work. I've been looking at a few websites including webmd and I am even more freaked out now. Has anyone else on this forum tested positive and went thru with a normal vaginal birth with no issues? Should I get another opinion on a planned c-section? I am so scared because this is my first baby and I don't want anything to happen to him or myself.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

 

[mommy2lilmen]

Hi there I tested positive with ALL my pregnancies. and only one ended up in the NICU and they dont know 100% why that happened. Kade#7 ended up in the NICU, I think that was due to the bleeding I had and the clots, nothing to do with the GBS, since the others were fine.
I was on antibiotics and they worked.
I am curious, why would you plan a c section? Vaginal birth is so much easier (recovery wise) and once you have a bolus of antibiotics baby is fine to come out. It takes an hour or two for the bolus to go in your system
GBS+ is very common. and I think as long as you have your antibiotics that a planned c section will be ok

 

[Sky13]

Thank you so much for your input. I am so scared at this point. I was thinking about doing a c-section because after watching a video about gbs on webmd I am even more freaked out about something going bad...such as antibiotics not working. The lady in the video said she was on antibiotics and the baby still got infected. He is 8 yrs old and has vision and developmental problems. I am so worried about something like that happening if I do a vaginal birth with the antibiotics.

 

[mommy2lilmen]

Awww I'm sorry you're scared. I see your point. I'm slightly jealous on planned sections.. they don't allow it here

 

[WholeHeart]

I shouldn't be in the over-35 forum (I'm pretty sure that age doesn't matter on this issue anyway), but I ran a forum search for group B strep because I was told yesterday that I had tested positive for it.... From what I was told, it isn't that big a deal (certainly no need for a c-section over it). The chances of baby getting sick are supposed to be one in 200 without the antibiotics and only 1 in 4,000 with the antibiotics. It just means you're stuck with iv antibiotics at the time and a two-day hospital stay after baby is born (for observation, mostly, but I'm sure also because they can deal with the symptoms there), at least where I am. I think it was 1 in 6 that get sick that have seriously complications (usually they get better just fine with some iv antibiotics of their own).... So, take the 1 in 4,000 times the 1 in 6, and you've got a really, really low risk of serious problems. 1 in 24,000? I'm not going to get worked up over a 1 in 24,000 chance of anything. (I'm getting all this from the handout I was given at the office when I was told I was positive.) Granted, I haven't actually had my baby yet, either, but statistically speaking it doesn't seem to be worth worrying about.

 

[julesjules100]

Hi there

I tested positive for GBS too. In the UK they don't routinely screen for it on the NHS (they do if you go privately) and the logic on this is that the rates over here are not that different between the US and Canada, where there is a screening programme and antibiotics.https://www.rcog.org.uk/womens-heal...neonatal-group-b-streptococcal-disease-green-
That said, if you go privately in the UK they will give you the antibiotics anyway on delivery. They certainly do not recommend a C section to avoid exposure. Every consultant I have seen over here is relaxed about GBS given how common it is.

I think the key thing to focus on (like most things in medicine and indeed pregnancy) is the likelihood: the incidence is c 1 in 2,000 GBS births, ie of the c 30% of women that carry it, you have a >99% chance of your baby being completely fine. That's a pretty low stat in my view.

Try not to stress too much about it x

 

[kcmichelle]

I also tested positive twice, probably will this time too. No problems with either birth and I was told it is very common to get a positive test.

 

[phrumkidost]

I just asked about this yesterday and the midwife indicated it wasn't usually a big deal. The risks of anything happening are low, even without antibiotics. Plus, just because you test positive today doesn't mean you'll test positive tomorrow or at the birth.

After hearing that, I told myself I probably won't even bother to get tested, just to keep stress levels down (unless there's obvious discomfort or some other sign things aren't "normal").