You’ve heard of strep throat, but have you heard of Group B Strep? GBS is a natural bacterium that’s found in 1 of 4 women, and while it isn’t a big deal to an adult, it can be harmful for your baby. Testing for GBS is a standard part of prenatal care in the US.
What is Group B Strep?
GBS is a bacterium found in women that lives in the vagina and rectum, however it rarely effects the women who have it. Most people don’t know they have GBS until they’re tested for it. GBS isn’t contagious for adults, it’s just something that’s there. You can’t contract it from food, the air, sex, or anything else.
Group B Strep and Your Baby.
Though GBS can’t pass from adult to adult, it can pass to your baby during birth. Though rare (only happening 1 – 2% of the time), it’s recommended that carriers of GBS take antibiotics to prevent possible spread to the baby. GBS can be dire for babies.
If your baby does get GBS, symptoms can come in two ways: early-onset and late-onset.
Early-onset GBS in babies will usually show up between 12 and 48 hours after birth. Nearly 75% of diagnosed newborns for GBS are early onset. The symptoms for early-onset GBS include:
- Fever.
- Drowsiness.
- Difficulty breathing.
And they can quickly turn into something more serious, such as sepsis (a blood infection), meningitis (infection of the fluids lining the brain), or pneumonia (a lung infection).
Late-onset GBS will usually happen once your baby is older than 7 days and can happen until they’re 12 weeks old. This type of GBS wasn’t passed to the baby during birth, but as of now, it is unknown what can lead babies to getting GBS aside from birth. The symptoms for late-onset GBS include:
- Coughing.
- Fever.
- Drowsiness.
- Congestion.
- Seizures.
And, just like early-onset GBS, all of these symptoms can turn into something more life-threatening such as sepsis, meningitis, or pneumonia.
It’s very rare that your baby will contract GBS, only a 1 – 2%. However, on the rare chance that they do, post-birth modern medicine has made strong advancements in treatment. You baby will have a 95% survival rate if they contract GBS and get treatment. GBS can lead to long-term developmental issues, particularly if your baby develops meningitis. Meningitis at such a young age can lead to Cerebral Palsy, hearing problems, delays in learning, and seizures.
Testing for Group B Strep.
Remember, screening for GBS is standard practice in the US. The test is super simple and painless, just a swab. The CDC recommends that testing occurs between 35 and 37 weeks. This time period gives the best picture to your provider of whether or not you have GBS during the time of birth. Because that’s another thing – GBS can come and go. Just because you test positive for GBS during one birth, doesn’t mean you will during another.
If you test positive, don’t panic. Remember that antibiotics for GBS are very efficient. During labor, you’ll be given IV antibiotics to protect the baby. The safeguard for the IV antibiotics is at least 4 hours before delivery. This gives the medicine enough time to get to the baby to protect it.
With these antibiotics, the chances of your baby getting GBS is about 1 of 4,000. Without the antibiotics, the chances of your baby getting GBS is about 1 of 200.
If you tested positive for GBS and are going into labor, come to the hospital right away. You don’t know how long labor is going to last, and you want to be sure if maximize the time you’re receiving antibiotics for GBS. If you don’t make it to the hospital in time to get antibiotics or don’t have them in your system with at least 4 hours before labor, it’s okay. While your baby is technically at a higher risk, modern medicine is highly effective, and you’ll have a team of people looking out for symptoms in your baby.
Group B Strep can sound scary, but with 1 in 4 women having it, medicine has come a long way when it comes to preventing and treating it. Your provider can answer any and all questions you may have about GBS testing, birth, signs and symptoms, and more. Call Greenville Women’s Care to schedule an appointment or visit greenvillewc.com.