Group B strep (GBS) infection

Group B streptococcus (GBS), also known as group B strep, is a type of bacterial infection that can be found in the vagina or rectum of a pregnant woman. This bacterium is normally found in the vagina and/or rectum in about 25% of all healthy adult women. Women who test positive for GBS infection are said to be considered colonized. A mother can pass a GBS infection to her baby during childbirth.

Although GBS infection is rare in pregnant women, the outcome can be serious. Thus, physicians include testing as a routine part of prenatal care.

How do I know if I have a GBS infection?

Experts recommend routine screening for vaginal streptococcus B for all pregnant women. This screening is done between the 35th and 37th week of pregnancy. Research shows that tests performed within 5 weeks of delivery are most accurate in predicting GBS infection status at birth.

The test includes swabs from the vagina and rectum. The sample is then sent to a laboratory where the culture is tested for the presence of GBS infection. Test results are usually available within 24 to 48 hours. All women with risk factors prior to screening for GBS (eg, women who go into preterm labor before the end of the 37th week of pregnancy) receive IV antibiotics until their GBS status is established .

How can you get GBS?

GBS is not a sexually transmitted disease. The bacteria that causes GBS usually live in the intestines, vagina, or rectum, and about 25% of all healthy women carry group B strep bacteria. Most women do not have symptoms of carrying GBS bacteria.

What happens if I test positive for GBS?

If you test positive for GBS, it simply means you are a carrier. Not all babies born to mothers who test positive for GBS infection will develop the disease. About 1 in 200 babies whose mother is a carrier of GBS and who is not treated with antibiotics will develop signs and symptoms of GBS. However, there are symptoms that may indicate a higher risk of childbirth. The child has GBS infection.

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 Infection

In this case, your doctor will want to use antibiotics to protect your baby from contracting GBS during delivery.

If you test positive and are not in a high-risk group, your chances of having a baby with GBS infection are:

1 out of 200 if antibiotics are not prescribed
1 in 4000 if antibiotics are prescribed

How can I protect my child from GBS?

If you test positive for GBS and meet high-risk criteria, your doctor will likely recommend that you give antibiotics intravenously during labor to prevent your baby from getting sick. Taking antibiotics greatly reduces the risk of a child developing GBS infections with early onset.

For women with GBS, antibiotics taken before labor is not effective in preventing transmission of group B bacteria. Because they naturally live in the gastrointestinal tract, the bacteria may return after taking antibiotics. A woman may test positive at certain times and negative at other times. That's why it's important that all pregnant women get tested for GBS between 35 and 37 weeks of each pregnancy.

How does GBS affect a newborn?

Infants may have early or late GBS infection.

Signs and symptoms of early-onset GBS infection 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

GBS infection with early onset is more common than with late onset. Intravenous antibiotics are used to treat mothers and newborns with early GBS.

Signs and symptoms of late GBS infection 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 Infection.

FAQ

How serious is GBS infection?

GBS infection can cause bladder and uterine infections in the mother. In severe cases, GBS infection can cause meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia, or stillbirth.

If I test positive for GBS, does that mean my baby will get it too?

No. About 1 in 200 children born to mothers infected with GBS become ill. However, some symptoms put the mother at higher risk than others.

What can I do to prevent my child from getting GBS?

Intravenous antibiotics are recommended during labor to reduce the risk of your baby getting sick. It is recommended to give antibiotics after the onset of labor and every four hours during active labor until the baby is born.

If I have to give birth by caesarean section. Should I be treated for a GBS infection?

If you test positive for GBS, but labor has not started and/or your water has not broken, you do not need to be treated for GBS during labor. If you test positive for GBS, go into labor, and/or break your water, most doctors still require you to be treated for GBS, even if you are delivering by caesarean section.

If I had a positive culture for GBS at the beginning of my pregnancy, would they test me again?

If a woman has a positive culture at any point in her current pregnancy, she does not need to rescreen and should automatically receive antibiotics during delivery.

Is GBS associated with angina?

No, the two are not related.

Can a positive woman take oral antibiotics before giving birth?

Treating the mother with oral antibiotics during pregnancy can GBS infections for a short time, but this will not completely eliminate the bacteria and leave the baby unprotected at birth. In addition, waiting for a baby to be treated with antibiotics after birth is often too late to prevent illness if the baby is at high risk for GBS.

Are antibiotics safe for a child?

Penicillin (Class B) is commonly used during pregnancy in non-allergic patients. Alternative medicines are available for people allergic to penicillin, but they can also cause an allergic reaction in some women. It is best to discuss the pros and cons of taking antibiotics with your doctor.