im 37 weeks what is strep b??

Question

my doctor told me i have strep b and when i go in to labor i need meds.. what is it and how did i get it?

Answer 1

What you need to know to protect your baby.
Group B Strep, also known as Beta Strep or GBS is a bacteria that can live within humans. About 25% of women are carriers of this bacteria and don't even know it. They don't have any feelings of illness and are not sick. It is not a sexually transmitted disease, so you don't have to worry about your husband or partner getting it. The risk to your baby comes at birth.

Effects on the Baby
98-99% of all babies born to infected mothers will not become infected, if treated. Of those who become infected few will have any problems with the treatment for the infection. There are two types of infections: early and late.

Early infections tend to occur usually within the first six hours after birth, and most by the seventh day of life. This infection can cause inflammation of the baby's lungs, spinal cord or brain. About 15% of these babies will die from the infection.

The other infection, late infection, occur after the first seven days of life. Half of these late infections are not from the mother but from other sources of infection, such as contact with other carriers of GBS, including hospital personnel. Meningitis is the main risk from late infection, which has long term problems associated with the baby's nervous system. However, babies with late infections are less likely to die than those with early infections.


Risk Factors & Testing

During birth as the baby passes through the vagina it comes into contact with the bacteria, making it more likley for the baby to get Group B Strep. To prevent this from happening women who test positive or who have had a previous baby with Group B Strep will be given IV antibiotics during labor. If you were not test at the end of your pregnancy and you go into labor you will be treated if you have any of the following symptoms of a Group B Strep infection:

Water is broken greater than 18 hours
You run a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
You are in labor prior to 37 weeks
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines are summarized as follows:


Every woman should be tested between weeks 35-37 of gestation with a simple vaginal and rectal swab.
If she tests positive she should be treated with antibiotics in labor.
If a woman has tested negative within five weeks of labor, she does not need to be treated in labor, even if she develops risk factors.
If a woman has an unknown GBS status in labor, she should only be treated if she develops risk factors.
A woman should be treated in labor if she has ever had a previous baby born with GBS or if she has tested positive at any time during her current pregnancy.

Answer 2

GBS, or Group B Strep can be a little frightening for a mother who tests positive, (as I did during my pregnancy), but it definitely freaks you out much more than it does the doctor. They only had time to give me one bag of antibiotics while I was in labor, (because the nurse had the drip going way too slow). I believe they can't start the second bag of antibiotics for at least 2 hours after the first one was done... I could be a little off but it seems that's what they were telling me. A lot of midwives don't want their clients to even take the antibiotics because they're much more cued into the natural way of things and there is evidence or theories that sometimes the antibiotics don't do any good because it can create antibodies for the antibiotics. Anyways... I did a lot of research as soon as I had found out I was GBS pos. and most of the stuff I found was stuff that kinda freaked me out because it was worse-case scenario... no ones going to talk about their experience with GBS if it had no effect whatsoever. So try to stay away from researching it online and put your trust into your doctors and nurses... they really do know what they're doing and deal with GBS on a weekly basis.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is one of many bacteria that normally live in our bodies and usually cause no harm.

In at least 90% of the births where the mother is properly tested and treated for GBS colonization, the babies are healthy.

Answer 3

Group B streptococcus, or group B strep, is a bacterium that causes life- threatening infections in newborns. Group B strep can also cause disease in pregnant women, the elderly, and adults with other illnesses.
Many people carry group B strep bacteria in their bodies without developing infection or illness. However, the bacteria can become deadly to people with weakened immune systems.
Pregnant women can transmit group B strep to their newborns at birth. Group B strep is the most common cause of blood infections and meningitis in newborns.
Most cases of group B strep disease in newborns can be prevented by giving certain pregnant women antibiotics during labor.

You will be given antibiotics when you go into the hospital so as soon as labor begins or if your water breaks get to the hospital ASAP.
For the majority of women with group b strep, they have healthy babies, but for a very very few it can be fatal to their newborns. So, read about it and inform yourself.

Answer 4

It is a bacteria that is naturally occuring in some women. Most do not show any symptoms of having it and it is not contagious, however, it can cause problems for the baby after birth.
Your Dr. will give you antibiotics during labor to protect the baby so that they do not get infected. 98% of babies born have no problems if the mother is treated.

Hope that helps. Good Luck!

Answer 5

It is a type of infection. It isn't from being dirty or anything like that, some women just get it. They give you antibotics when you give birth so you don't pass it on to the baby. It will go away as soon as you give birth :-) Don't let anyone get you freaked out about this. My doctor told me that it can harm the baby if it is NOT taken care of and the risk is very small of it being passed on. But as long as you are given the meds, you will be fine.

Answer 6

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacteria that causes particular problems for pregnant women and newborn babies. It is carried by 10% to 30% of pregnant women. It is found most often in the vagina and the rectum.

Here are some important facts on group B strep:

A pregnant woman with group B strep may either experience no complications at all or develop bladder infections, amnionitis (an infection of the amniotic fluid and membranes), or endometritis (an infection of the uterus that generally occurs postpartum).


A pregnant woman can pass group B strep on to her baby during pregnancy, during delivery, or after the birth. This happens in approximately 1 to 2 of every 100 babies born to women who are group B strep carriers. A baby may also be infected through contact with other people who are group B strep carriers.


A baby who is infected with group B strep may end up with blood, lung, brain, and spinal-cord infections. Five percent of babies who are infected with group B strep die.


The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all pregnant women be screened for group B strep bacteria between 35 and 37 weeks of pregnancy, and that all women who have risk factors prior to being screened for group B strep (for example, women who have preterm labor beginning before 37 completed weeks' gestation) be treated with IV antibiotics during their labors or after their membranes have ruptured until it is determined whether they are group B carriers.


According to the Centers for Disease Control, if all pregnant women were screened for group B strep at 35 to 37 weeks' gestation and all women who tested positive were treated with antibiotics during labor, 75% of cases of group B strep that appear during the first week of life could be prevented.


I had it with my second pregnancy and I also have it with this one. My second son was fine, I got all the antibitocs I needed so it didn't pass to my son. I don't know about other states but in AZ if you test positive for it you're required by state law to stay in the hospital 48hrs exactly to make sure the baby is clear of it!!!! Good Luck!!

Answer 7

You will be fine! Dont stress!. It;s alot better for them to find that you have strep b now then after the baby is born. Then it would already be passed onto the baby & can make the baby very sick often resulting in a hospital stay of 1 week or more for the baby.

Answer 8

a lot of people have it, you're not 'dirty' haha. its just a microorganism that some women have and you just need a boring old antibiotic IV, usually ampicillin or penicillin (if you're allergic there are other options). About half the women who come into my hospital are GBS positive so don't sweat it! THe reason they want to kill it before you give birth is because it could hurt the baby because the baby doesn't have an immune system yet (more reason to breastfeed- you give the baby antibodies it doesn't have yet so it can fight disease).

Answer 9

Group B Strep is basically just a virus. There's absolutely nothing that you've done to get it. I had it with my first pregnancy and have just had the test done with this pregnancy. There's nothing that you can do to get it, or to prevent it. Rest assurred that you and your baby are both fine. When you get to the hospital to deliver, they're going to give you an IV that has antibiotics in it just to ensure that the Group B isn't passed to the child. Try not to worry. Everything is fine. It's like having the flu...you didn't do anything wrong.

Answer 10

i had it with my son. all it is, is a bacteria that all women get on and off though their lives. it isn't harmful to (or your partner) but it could be bad for the baby when it comes through the birth canal. all they are going to do it put some penicillin in your IV and that will be the end of it. nothing serious.