GBS in first pregnancy

[MancMrsHolmes]

I found out that I was a GBS carrier in my first pregnancy after my baby had early onset infection and had to be treated in NICU. I'm now 36 weeks with my second pregnancy & my midwife has added a GBS Alert sticker to my notes but said they won't test me on the NHS but will offer antibiotics in labour.

Should I still get tested privately or just take the antibiotics? I'm petrified that I will pass on again as my daughter was very poorly after birth, albeit she's a healthy 4 year old today.

Any advice gratefully received!

[GBSSadmin Partner Volunteer Group B Strep Support]

Hi. Congratulations on your pregnancy and I'm delighted to hear your daughter has made a full recovery from her GBS infection. What a worrying time it must have been for you all.

Your midwife is offering you what is recommended in the UK guidelines - because your daughter had a GBS infection, you should be offered intravenous antibiotics as soon as possible in any future labour to minimise the risk of that baby developing GBS infection. In fact, this is standard practice in all of the developed countries that have a GBS prevention strategy.

The only reason to test this pregnancy is if you decided you would NOT want the antibiotics if the test result were negative. If that's the case, then you'd be best doing a private test (one that follows Public Health England guidelines - see gbss.org.uk/test for places we know do) because the standard NHS test misses up to 40-50% of carriers. However, if you DO want the antibiotics in labour, then there's no point testing, as the result wouldn't change your treatment.

Hope that helps. Do email us at [e-mail] if you have more questions, or call us during office hours on 01444 416176. And, if we're not in touch before, do please let us know when your baby arrives - we LOVE baby news

[MancMrsHolmes in reply to GBSSadmin]

It certainly does and I will be accepting/insisting on antibiotics during labour.

Could I just check, does that mean I should be admitted to the labour ward as soon as I start labour?

I presume I'd have to go in for the antibiotics as soon as I get the first signs of labour and won't be told to stay at home until it has progressed?

Thanks!

[GBSSadmin Partner Volunteer Group B Strep Support in reply to MancMrsHolmes]

Glad to help!

Yes, the antibiotics should be given as soon as possible once labour has started. We'd suggest you raise this with your health professionals and do call them when labour has started, letting them know you're on your way and that you carry GBS so the IV antibiotics are indicated.

We can send you some stickers for your handheld notes to highlight this if that's helpful? If so, send your postal address to us at [e-mail] and/or order them (free) from our shop gbss.org.uk/shop.

[MancMrsHolmes in reply to GBSSadmin]

Had a growth scan and Ob appt today, Doc was fantastic and stuck one of your stickers on the front on my notes book (MW had put it somewhere near the back).

Thanks again xx