Group B Strep Resources
What is Group B Strep?
Group B strep (streptococcus) is a common bacterium often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. The bacterium is usually harmless in healthy adults. In newborns, however, it can cause a serious illness known as group B strep disease.
“Up to 36% of pregnant women are colonized with Group B Streptococcus (GBS).”
It is important to clarify, there’s a difference between testing positive for GBS colonization and being positive for an active GBS infection.
GBS colonization can come and go without treatment. An active GBS infection needs treatment and poses more risk to your baby showing symptoms of an infection.
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Testing for Group B Strep
GBS is carried in our intestines and lower genital tract, as stated above. It is eliminated through urine and fecal matter. That’s why the test for this is a vaginal and rectum swab. Studies have found that testing for GBS should occur between 35 and 37 weeks gestation.
It’s really not as bad as it sounds!
The swab is sent to a lab and results are available within 24-48 hours.
Treatment for Group B Strep
Approximately 1 in every 2,000 babies, who’s mother was not treated with antibiotics, are affected by GBS symptoms. 1 in 4,000 babies if the mother received antibiotics.
GBS is treated during labor with antibiotics They are administered once labor starts, through an IV. The CDC and evidence based research recommends the antibiotic be given every 4 hours, starting more than 4 hours before birth.
The most common drug used is Penicillin. If you are allergic to Penicillin, Cefazolin is a comparable option for you.
Group B Strep Education
Symptoms that may indicate you are at a higher risk of delivering a baby with GBS.
These symptoms include:
Labor or rupture of membranes before 37 weeks
Rupture of membranes 18 hours or more before delivery
Fever during labor
A urinary tract infection as a result of GBS during your pregnancy
A previous baby with GBS
Babies may experience early or late-onset of GBS.
The signs and symptoms of early-onset GBS include:
Signs and symptoms occurring within hours of delivery
Sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis, which are the most common complications
Breathing problems
Heart and blood pressure instability
Gastrointestinal and kidney problems
Early-onset GBS occurs more frequently than late-onset. Intravenous antibiotics are used to treat mothers and newborns with early-onset GBS.
The signs and symptoms of late-onset GBS include:
Signs and symptoms occurring within a week or a few months of delivery
Meningitis, which is the most common symptom
Late-onset GBS could have been passed during delivery, or the baby may have contracted it by coming in contact with someone who has GBS.
GBS can cause bladder and uterine infections for the mother. In serious cases, GBS can cause meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia, or stillbirth.
“Researchers found that receiving IV antibiotics during labor does impact the infant’s microbiome, at least temporarily.
Mostly recovered by 4-8 weeks, while two other studies found important differences that persisted up to 3 months or a year later in some infants.”
“The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all women who have risk factors PRIOR to being screened for GBS (for example, women who have preterm labor beginning before completing 37 gestational weeks) are treated with IV antibiotics until their GBS status is established.”