Anyone Else Test Positive for Group B Strep (GBS)??

I tested positive before the birth of my first child. They put me ona an IV of something before they started my c-section...that was it, no problems with anything afterwards. BEfore the birth of my son i tested negative, so nothing had to be done.

I tested positive with my second as was vary worried as I was walking around dialated to 4 or 5. I was afraid I wouldn't get all the atibiotic in. I didn't end up getting both doses but the baby was just fine. I was very worried going into it but realized that I didn't need to worry so much.

Good luck, and a short easy labor to you! :)

There's absolutely no reason to worry, testing positive is fairly common. I tested positive for my first and it just means IV of antibiotics. I actually tested negative for my second but they gave me the antibiotics anyway as the bacteria ebbs and flows in the body and they may have just tested me at a low point. It's nothing to be concerned about.

You are very lucky that you did not have this with the first one as well. I tested positive with all three. Please do not stress out about it.. Just make sure that you go to the hospital as soon as you go into labor. They will give you penicillin (sp?) if you are not illergic. I never had a problem with any of them. As long as they have time to get meds in you before you deliver, you will be fine. Just to make you aware, since you have it this time and you plan on having another baby in the future, more then likely you will test positive again. But like I said, don't make yourself stress out about it, just keep it in the back of your mind and make sure that when the time comes and you check into the hospital, you let them know right away just incase forsome reason they do not have your records. You will be fine, and your baby will be fine.. Good luck. If you have any other questions about it, please feel free to ask me.

Yes, I tested positive with two of my three boys. There is nothing to worry about. Your doctor will put fluids in your system via IV to avoid transferring it to your baby. I was concerned as well, thinking I had done something wrong, which is not the case. From what my doctor told me, it is pretty common. Just enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and keep positive.

My best friend tested positive and everything is just fine. She had the medicine given to her right when she got to the hospital and the baby is a healthy 1 year old.

I tested positive with both of my children. With my son, I asked my doctor to wait as long as possible to administer the IV because I was planning a natural birth and did not want to be hooked up to any machines. She ended up waiting so long and I went from 6-10 cm in about 15 minutes that I only received one dose of the antibiotics (I should've received at least 2 I think). With my daughter, my labor was so fast, I entered the hospital room crowning so I did not receive any antibiotics. With my first child, they kept me an extra day for observation. With my daughter, I was in the hospital 24 hours and they told me to keep an eye on her at home for a few more days for signs of distress. Both were fine.

Your levels of Group B strep vary from day to day and hour to hour. I ate yogurt left and right before my test for my daughter in an effort to lower my levels - didn't work. It's not as big a deal as you might think. Their tests are random and are not a true indication of your levels on the day your child will be born. It's just to give them some direction. I'm sure you will both be fine:) Relax and enjoy your experience!

Do not worry. My friend tested positive with two of her three pregnancies. Babies were healthy. They will just give you an antiobiotic at your delivery.

I had Group B strep with my first pregnancy. Its really no big deal. They'll just want to start antibiotics with you while in labor. Ideally they want to get 2 doses in you before the baby is born to greatly lower the risk of passing it to your baby. They give the doses 4 hours apart. Since this is your second baby your labor will probably be alot faster than your first so you might want to get to the hospital sooner than later when your contractions start to try and get both doses in in time.
Really, its not anything to worry about. My sister in law also had it with 3 of her 4 pregnacies and all her kids are fine!

Good Luck!!!

I tested positive as well. I didn't even know until I was in labor and they hooked me up to the IV. They just give some antibiotics in your IV and call it good. I didn't have any side effects and everything turned out fine with my baby.

I tested negative with my first son, but positive with my second. I didn't make it to the hospital in time for any sort of antibiotics before I delivered--almost delivered my baby in the car!! I was very concerned, but my son was tested and he was just fine.

Hi there K.,

I too tested positive for Group B Strep with my fourth baby. I did soooo much research after I found out, because I too of course was worried--almost in a panic state. It was discovered after I had gone into preterm labor after 30 weeks. I guess they check it routinely in those situations. Anyway, I spoke with my doctor very intently about this on my next visit. He assured me that during labor, or just prior to inducing labor, they will administer IV antibiotics. It was undecided if they would let me go naturally or via induction due to my other complications during my pregancy. He said they like to get at least one dose completed, if not the second. Basically the antibiotics are meant to prevent the spread of the GB strep to the baby. This is a bad analogy, but like a condom is meant to prevent pregnancy/disease. He did say that if for some reason we are not able to get the antibiotics in, the chances of giving anything to the baby were still very small. Needless to say, baby and I were just fine, and Gabe didn't get a thing. Just make sure you have great ob and they understand your needs and listen to you.

Would like to write more, but I'm about to fall asleep--I worked all

Like all of the others, I had it and was treated during labor and my baby was fine. I wanted to mention one thing to watch out for after you go home that I'm not sure anyone else mentioned. Because of the strep and the fact that my water broke almost 24 hours before I went into labor I was on IV antibiotics throughout my labor. I breastfed my baby and we ended up getting a very challenging case of thrush. It is a yeast infection in the baby's mouth and on your nipples that you can pass back and forth to each other. The antibiotics make you more susciptible to yeast infections. Just be sure to watch for white patches (cottage-cheese looking) inside your baby's mouth and burning in your nipples if you breastfeed. It is treatable and not dangerous (just annoying), but it is best to treat it early or it can be very stubborn and difficult to get rid of. Don't let me discourage you from breastfeeding because of this. Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing if you can do it. You won't necessarily get thrush because of the antibiotics, but if you do just try to catch it early. Congratulations on the new baby and best wishes.

Hi K. -

I had it with my son - just like many of the responses said - they just hang an IV during delivery - everything was fine. Congrats on your new baby!!!!

The one drawback of choosing the antibiotics (besides the mobility issue) is that it kills all the good bacteria that your baby needs too. So, if you plan to get them, it might be helpful to also take plenty of pro-biotics. My sister had the antibiotics during labor, and they got both got thrush and her baby got a horrible yeast diaper rash right off the bat.

My son is ten weeks old and when I was tested for group b strep I came out positive too. It doesn't do anything to you but it can affect the baby on the way through. All they do is give you an IV of amoxicillin (sp?) every four hours during labor. My son was born just fine and didn't get affected by it so it must have worked. I was really nervous about it too but everything worked out just fine. Good Luck

Hi K.,

I know you got a lot of responses- but I am also expecting, and my date is June 20th! I tested positive with my daughter who just turned 2- and took the test last week but have not heard the results, so I am assuming it was negative. (I go back in tomorrow). It was nothing of concern, as most of the moms have said, although it can sound scary. It is very common- and I wish you well with your delivery! My daughter came 3 weeks early, and I am expecting my son to come early as well- I am ready to have my body back!!!! Hope you are feeling well and good luck!

I tested positive for group B also with my last pregnancy, and I worried too! But it really is nothing to worry about, sometimes its common to get a bladder infection while your pregnant with it, I did, you take antibiotics and they will give you some during labor too. Its not a big deal you will be fine and so will your baby!

I was positive with my last one. I found out when I went in to have him. He came 2 weeks early but the labor was slow. They wont to get 2 rounds of antibotics into you before the delivery. This prevents transmission to the baby. If they can't get them in you before the baby is born I believe they treat the baby. To make sure it wasnt' transmitted. (not sure about that part). Talk to you Dr. about what the plan is to make sure you get the antibotics and what they are going to do if you don't get them in time.

I tested positive for Group B Strep and it really was
no big deal. When I went in for delivery, they just gave
me some IV antibiotics and everything turned out fine--healthy baby and healthy me :)

Not to worry. With my daughter I tested positive for this and all they had to do was hang some antibiotics IV during the delivery. This was to make sure the bacteria was not passed on to my daughter. She is fine. Then when I had my son, I was worried once again, but I tested negative for it the second time. Wierd. But not to worry.
Pam

Hi K.-I too tested positive during my second pregnancy but not my 1st or 3rd??? I had a very fast labor that time and my midwives were only able to give me one dose of the antibiotic before my daughter was born. So they just watched her a little more closely and gave her what she needed and all was well. I think it's not really that big of a deal although I remember really freaking out when I tested positive. I'm sure everything will be fine but discuss it in more length with your OB if your still nervous.

I was also diagnosed with Group B Strep when I was pregnant with my first child. I was told that I was a carrier and as long as the delivery doctors were aware of it (to give either me or the baby some sort of medication--I don't remember), there was nothing to worry about. In the end, there were no complications. Obviously! I can't even remember how they handled it! Congratulations on your new little one and good luck.

I tested positive, too. I was worried and ashamed at first. My sister used to be a labor/delivery nurse and she and my dr. told me that more people test positive than not. The only thing that changes is they give you antibiotics when you are in labor. Make sure to question the nurses though, because I had to ask twice before they gave me mine. They hope you get a certain amount before delivering. Trust your body and your drs. things will go great!

K., I had a similar experience to Tamala's. I was strep b positive but I didn't get that information until I showed up at the hospital in labor (my baby was 2 wks early). I tried to explain to the nurse that I needed to get on the IV asap b/c I deliver quickly (my first was under 3 hrs start to finish) but she ignored me and left me waiting for quite awhile before I was moved to a room and saw a doctor. I ended up calling my ob at her office and having her call in to the hospital to validate my need for the iv immediately. Anyway, it was too late, I delivered less than 2 hours after I started the IV. The medicine did not have time to get through my system to hers. My daughter was very sick and completely non-responsive and spent several days in the NICU. That was a whopper of a bill! We were sent home without her--I cannot describe how difficult it was to go home with empty arms after giving birth. The nurses at the time were not holding out much hope that we'd ever take her home. Grandpa flew home early from an overseas business trip--you'd be shocked at what that cost! Our older daughter was beside herself especially since we'd lost a baby earlier that year in a late miscarriage. It was a horrible week. After about 5-6 days our baby was released and sent home. However, we had to wake her for feedings day and night which was nearly impossible. She was diagnosed with failure to thrive as she was not eating at first because she kept falling asleep. The lethargy was awful. After a few weeks, she sort of snapped out of it. She is now 5 and is completely fine. We do not see any carryover from her rough start. I don't mean to scare you, but strep b is not always "nothing to worry about". Be an advocate for yourself and your baby. No strep B w/ baby #3--so glad not to go through that again! However, I was tested earlier and a note was put on my chart that if I did test positive, my labor should be delayed as long as possible to give time for the meds to get to baby. Good luck! I hope for you it will truly be nothing to worry about!

I tested positive with my 2nd child. Didn't have to do anything special except have IV's prior to his birth. Unfortunately, he was born before the meds could take effect (only had the IV in for 1/2 an hour b4 he was born). But he's fine. Just try and make sure that you get some amount of the medication in. Visit with your doctor about it and things will work out. Good luck.

I had Group B with my first baby who is now 20 months old. It was no problem. They gave me antibiotics during labor to make sure the baby didn't get it. Since I had a history of it, I didn't even get tested for it with my second baby who is 10 days old, they just gave me the antibiotics when I was in labor. It doesn't effect you, and you can only pass it along during labor when the baby passes through the birth canal, which is why they give you the antibiotic during labor. They could give it to you now, but it would more than likely come back and they would have to retreat you. I didn't stress over it. My sister also had it and she had no problems either. Concentrate on enjoying your pregnancy, there isn't anything you can do about Group B and you will get the antibiotics during labor to clear it up. Enjoy this special time, it goes so fast.

Hi K. my name is T. and yes I was tested positive for Group B strep. When I went into labor on 2/19/08 they started me on a IV for the Group B I was on it until I gave birth on 2/20/08 to my beautiful daughter Chakala. That morning around 11 am she was not responsive and not eating so they had to take her to the NICU it really broke me down I cried and cried I was angry because I had asked before hand could they schedule me to be deliver early so I can get the full dosage of medication of course they said no and everything will be alright. Chakala was in the NICU for 2 days because they had to give her a IV for the Group B I carried. They let me stay an extra day and they was not too sure if she would come home with me, but with a lot praying from family and friends my Tinka Ma(she was little like Tinker Bell)came home with me. She is healthy and a very happy baby. It's scary but the doctors know what they are doing. It's easier said than done but try not to worry. Also if you have more concerns talk to your doctor and question him/her like I did mine.

I'm a "real person" who just completed a CME course on this. Treatment is extremely important. Lack of treatment has now been associated with a "sevenfold increased risk for chorioamnionitis." That could potentially put the baby you are expecting into the NICU. If your doc is not intending to treat, refer him/her to: Anderson BL et al. Untreated asymptomatic group B streptococcal bacteriuria early in pregnancy adn chorioamnionitis at delivery. American Journal of Obstetric Gynecol 2007 Jun; 196:524.e1-5.
Best wishes.

I also tested positive for both pregnancies. It is most dangerous when not diagnosed, so you are already ahead of the game. You will recieve antibiotics when labor starts and thats it. I have two healthy kids, and I was also really worried!! But all was good. If your water breaks, as mine did with second pregnancy, just go to the hospital right away and they will start antibiotics.
good luck and try to relax!

Hi, K.!

I tested positive for GBS during my first pregnancy last summer, but ended up having a C-section, which made it a non-issue.

The only warning I have is that when you get to the hospital and they start the IV, they will give you antibiotics that can burn a bit as they enter your veins. The first bag wasn't so bad, but the pain is a bit worse with each consecutive bag. I was overdue and being induced and they ended up giving me FIVE bags of it over the course of the day because I just wasn't going into labor. By the time it became clear that I was not going to give birth on my own and would need surgery, they were having to wrap my entire arm in ice when they started a new bag because it would burn so much! They finally decided that the stress to the baby from me being so upset each time was worse than continuing something that most likely wasn't going to be needed anyway.

I sincerely hope that your water breaks on its own and you have a fast delivery and only need 1-2 bags of the antibiotics. If, however, you need more, I would highly recommend asking them to slow the drip as much as possible, stretch it out as long as is safe between bags, and ask for ice if nothing else!

I tested positive with my last child as well. I wasn't in labor long enough for them to give me the full dose of antibiotics but still had no problems afterwards. It was hospital policy to keep anyone with group b strep for the full 48 hours in order to watch the baby closely. In case you are worried at all about having a natural birth and antibiotics interfering, I was able to go med-free and even though I needed the IV for the antibiotics I was able to move around pretty easily.

I was positive with strep b when I had my son 2 years ago. They just put you on antibiotics at the birth. Don't let yourself get to worked up about it. Talk to your doc if you have any questions:)

S.

I tested positive with my first 2 children. It is no big deal. You just get meds via IV during delivery. Nothing to worry about.

I was tested positive as well. They will give you medicine and they say it needs to be in you for 4 hours before you begin pushing. It worked out fine for me. There were no complications. They do check the baby afterwards but all went well.

So many women are positive with this and it's nothing to worry about. Just make sure you get the antibiotics on board before delivery and soon if your water breaks. I too was shocked to find out I was positive and I have 2 very healthy babies. Congrats on your expected arrival!

Hi I tested positive for it when i was pregnant with my son. It really is no big deal, they will give you an antibiotic when you go in for delivery to prevent anything from passing to your baby that could make them sick, but that's why they test for it so they can head it off. And to put your mind at ease for yourself it's nothing more than a bacteria present on your skin that can come and go very much like yeast. next time you get tested it could not be there at all.
hope this helped.

I tested positive with both babies, my daughter will be 2 in August and my son is 3 months. It was just a course of antibotics for me as soon as I got to the hospital with both. They both were c-sections so it wasn't as important with them but they both also got antibotics after they were born.

I am a mother of 2 healthy kids-9 and just turned 6. I tested positive for Group B Strep with my now 6 yr old daughter. I had a wonderful doctor at the time (near Atlanta, GA) that advised me to have the birth induced. That way, I could get the antibiotics in me right before birth and not have anything passed on to the baby. We thought that was a great idea, considering we had a 3 yr old at home-we could plan to drop him off with friends instead of rushing to the hospital with me in labor! Well, my daughter had other plans and I began having contractions the night before the scheduled induction. I did get to the hospital in time for the first round of antibiotics to start and she was born healthy. I had no side effects from anything. Bottom line, talk to you dr. about all risks. If you can, have plenty of time for the meds to start working in your body before the baby comes. I was totally freaked out with I tested positive, but it turned that there were many more things that could have been worse with the pregnancy and birth. The fact that there is such a test is truly a blessing. Hopefully you have a honest and caring dr as well. Best wishes for a happy and safe birth for your new little one!

K. L.

K.,

I tested positive for Group B Strep with my second son (however, the hospital forgot to inform me of this!!!) My first child was induced and a 22 hour labor, I was not looking forward to that experience again and I wanted to go natural so I stayed at home until the very last minute, literally, My contractions were less than a minute apart when I arrived at the hospital and they took me directly back, that is when I learned that I was positive for Strep B! They figured that I would have the baby within the hour but he would need to stay in the hospital for a few days - a week, and complications could also include blindness, etc. They told me that an epidural may slow me down long enough to get the four hours of antibiotics the baby needed to have before birth and it worked out perfectly, four hours and a few minutes later he was born healthy!!!

I also tested positive for both of my pregnancies. It's a bit scary - especially if you read the articles. I trusted my doctor & all went very well for both births.

They will hook you up to an ivy & pump you full of antibiotics while you are in labor/close to birth. It was a bit of a pain - as I wasn't able to move around the room. If you are into alternative deliveries (E.g. in a tub or etc...it could be a bit tough)
However, both mine went very well & I was not concerned at all with kiddo #2.

Trust your doctor & all should be good!
Good luck

I tested positive with babies 3 & 4. With my son (#3) I didn't have time to get the iv meds. as I had him 7 minutes after getting to the hospital but with my daughter (#4) I had the iv. Either way everything went fine both times. Although, I was a little nervous for my son. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Put your trust in God and the Drs. They've got it under control. Blessings on the rest of your pregnancy and your labor and delivery.

I did, it was no big deal. You simply need an IV (penicillin-I think) when you deliver.

Hi K.,

This is very common, very routine, and nothing to worry about. All it means is that Strep B is present in the vagina--some women have it and some don't. It causes no harm to the woman, but it *can* be transmitted to the baby during delivery, and it can be harmful to the baby. To prevent transmission to the baby, antibiotics are administered to the mother.

I tested negative, but my Nurse Practitioner said that if I had tested positive, I would have had to have an iv w/antibiotics during labor and delivery. Not a big deal. At your next check-up, ask your healthcare provider how they plan to handle it.

Rest easy, and good luck to and your family!

My sister tested positive too, just like the other ladies antibotics during labor and everything was perfect, no issues.

i tested postive with my daughter. its nothing to worry about. they'll just hook u up to an iv when you go to the hospital to deliver so that you dont pass it on to your lil one.

yes, i also tested positive for group B strep in my last pregnancy. the doctor gave me an iv antibiotic right before delivery, and kept me and my son in the hospital for 48 hrs instead of 24 to monitor both of us afterward, but that was about the only difference i remember between that pregnancy and the first 2. hope that helps relieve your stress a little, it really wasn't that worrisome for either of us, we were both just fine. C.

Ho doubt your doctor has given you treatment. If not, ask about it. You can alert the nurses when you are admitted in labor. Your baby will be watched closely. Group B Strep is serious, but can be treated. Your diligence to have good prenatal care has given you the knowledge you need.

Looks like you have had a lot of responses already, so it obviously is pretty common. I tested positive and it actually worked out okay that I had the IV all set up and going with the antibiotics already. It made it easier for the doctor to give me the drugs to speed up labor when my body was taking it's good old time and then to administer nubain to take the edge off the pain. It was slightly annoying to take the IV with me, but I was still able to sit in a warm shower (just put a plastic bag over my hand) and walk during labor. If I test positive again with any future children, I won't mind dealing with it again to help make sure the baby is healthy.

Sure. I did and so did many other women I know. It is only an issue during delivery and they give you antibiotics (IV) during labor to protect the baby. It was annoying but other than that, no big deal. I'm not a fan of antibiotics but I wasn't going to take any chances with my baby. Ironically, I ended up not needing it because I had a c-section after 3 hours of pushing, but there was no way to know that! It is so common to be positive for strep B...I really wouldn't let it stress you out.
Good luck!

Don't worry. I was positive w/ my first (but not with the 2nd who was born 15 months after the first). I was mostly concerned about mobility during labor and delivery as I wanted to have a med-free vaginal birth. Other than the IV being annoying, it was no problem. I have an awesome midwife and had a great attending nurse who followed me around during delivery, pushing the IV behind me. I was able to have the delivery I wanted - moving around and ultimately squatting for the birth.
Good luck with your pregnancy!

I did and it was no big deal. I was put on antibiotics after my water broke and they gave me a dose every half hour or so. I ended up having a c-section anyway but really it was not a big deal at all. They say that 30-40 percent of all people have it.

I was positive with GBS for both my pregnancies....two healthy babies later, it wasn't a big deal. I just had antibiotic IV prior to labor ( I was induced twice). I delivered vaginally as well, so it is possible. The only issue I had is that I had horrible UTIs during my second pregnancy...my doctor thought the GBS could have been a contributing factor. Good luck with your new little one, and try not to worry too much!

I had it with both of my babies. It isn't really that big of a deal. You will just need to be put on an IV when you are in labor. Then everything should be fine. I think I remember reading in a book that 1 out of 4 women will test positive, so it is kind of common. I always figured out of all the things that could happen durting pregnancy, this was minor and I would rather have that than gestational diabeties, bed rest, etc. Everything will be fine. Good luck!!!

Wow! You already have a lot of replies so I will make mine short and sweet.
I tested positive with all 3 of my pregnancies. It was never an issue. Everyones situation will be different but you shouldn't get all worked up about it. Just get there so you can get your IV. I did nothing extra to deal with it. And you can walk around with your IV pole depending on what pain meds you are on!
All the best.

I tested positive & everything turned out fine. I believe that you should get antibiotics administered during labor if you are high risk. Ask your Dr. about the risks but I believe they are pretty minimal. I have 3 healthy babies! Relax & enjoy your daughter because life gets so busy after the new baby comes along.

Kristin,

I was negative with my first 2 and I was positive with my last one.

I didn't even know I was positive until I was at the hospital and they nurse said "I also have to get the penicillin".. My doctor had forgotten to mention it to me...

Nothing to worry about.....

i tested positive for that to for the first time and i have 4 babys it was weird...when i went into labor i got penecillan..with my iv...i can answer what ever you want me to just let me know...

I tested positive with both of my pregnancies (now very healthy 6 year old and 11 month old) Nothing went wrong i had them both naturaly my only sugestion is when you go in to have the baby make sure you tell everyone nurse, midwife, dr., and everytime you have a shift change to tell them again that you have it and make sure you get the medicine before delivery and everything will go great. And make sure you tell your husband so he can remember to tell the nurses etc.... If you are properly medicated at the right time nothing bad will happen and it will usually go away after the delivery but if you decide to have more children make sure you are always checked

I had group B strep and have known quite a few people who have had it. My advise, Dont go on the internet and read a lot about it. Everybody I know that has had it has never had a problem with and without antibiotics. My first child was a very quick delivery and I was worried I wouldnt get the antibiotics in me with my second. My doctor had more concern about inducing me than getting antibiotics in me. Im sure there is a stilght chance something can happen, but it sounds like most is pretty preventible.

Hi, I tested positive wiht both of my children, they give you an antibiotic durring labor to keep you from passing it to the baby but other than that it is harmless, however if your water break you need to head to the hospital right away to get on the antibiotics asap.

K.,
I was positive for Group B for my first pregnancy, too.
I read through only a handful of the responses you received, and it was the same thing for me: IV during labor and delivery. However, one thing I did not see in your responses was problems associated with getting that intense of a dose of Penicillin. So maybe the problem I had is not that common, but I really want you to be aware of this.

My baby got thrush in her mouth and I got it on my nipples. It was THE MOST PAINFUL thing I have ever been through. Yes, worse than labor. It is not easily diagnosable. My doctors brushed me off repeatedly. I just want you to be aware of this possibility. I was not, so was taken by surprise. We went through months of treatment. It was very difficult for me, and it almost made me give up breastfeeding.

Perhaps check into the possibility of taking lots of acidolpholis and eating tons of yogurt before your due date.

The other possibility is to refuse the Penicillin. My Doula refused it with her own deliveries, and the babies were just fine.

Good luck with this!

Hi K.,

Not to worry. This is a fairly common thing and Doctors know how to handle it. I tested positive with my first child. He was a planned c-section baby as he was breach and the cord was around his neck. All that had to be done, was that they treated me with antibiotics during the surgery so as not to pass it on to baby.

I'm not sure how it works for vaginal delivery, but I'm sure the doctors have it under control.

Good luck!