This article is a personal one. And the aim of it is to find out how many other women have also been diagnosed with the infection called Group Strep B and how they found their experiences and care during their pregnancy and labour.
A short while ago I was admitted into hospital with vaginal bleeding and cramps at 12 weeks pregnant. I was given test after test. Swabs were taken to rule out any underlying infections. Fortunately, my little foetus seemed well and my pregnancy is flourishing and continuing to grow. I was sent home and was told I would receive a phone call if my tests came back showing any signs of abnormalities.
I carried on my days as normal then sure enough the phone rang. It was the hospital. They explained to me that my results came back showing I had indeed got an infection called Group Strep B and once the time comes when I go into labour I would have to have a drip full of antibiotics inserted in my vein so my baby would not contract it! That was it!! No sooner after the phone rang the conversation was over. So many unanswered questions that I couldn’t think of at the time. I did what most women would do, I sought out to seek my own answers in terms of google. This is what I read before my eyes,
“Group Strep B Infection: is a type of bacterial infection that can be found in a pregnant woman’s vagina or rectum. This bacterium is normally found in the vagina and/or rectum of about 25% of all healthy, adults and women. It is commonly harmless and shows no symptoms. Pregnant women who are strep positive will need to have a course of antibiotics inserted through a drip at the time of labour starting or the amniotic fluids breaking. If passed onto your unborn baby during labour complications such as infections, learning difficulties or in severe cases foetal death can occur.”
Scary right?
Over loaded with googles petrifying words in my mind I went to see my local consultant. She on the other hand seemed much more relaxed than me and advised me not to worry. Easier said than done! she explained I would need to give birth in a hospital and as soon as my waters broke or contractions started I would need to have the antibiotic drip inserted straight away. No midwife led centre or home birth were now options. My nearest hospital with antenatal care is over 1 hour away. Parking is somewhat very limited and can take up to a good 40 minutes to find a parking space. Other concerning factors are my 2 other children who will need to be taken or picked up by their designated grandparents/friends when the time comes.
With so many different things going around in my mind right now I haven’t even thought about what type of labour I am likely to have.
Will I be bed bound?
Can I move with a drip inserted in my vein?
Is a birthing pool no longer an option?
What if I don’t make it in time?
What if I don’t receive antibiotics?
Of course these are all questions for my midwife.
But what I would like to know is how many others out there have experienced a similar situation and how did you cope with all these scary thoughts and things happening to you? Pregnancy is meant to be a joyful experience but for me right now the fear of the unknown is out weighing the good. I’m currently 28 weeks pregnant and enjoying the movements and kicks of my unborn child, but as for the birth. Fingers crossed for a none dramatic labour.
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3 comments
I was gbs positive too. My water broke at a 5 am and I waited for contractions but at 1 pm nothing started so I called the hospital and they told me to come in. When I got there they immediately wanted to start me on pitocin and I told them no i wasn’t ready. They started my antibiotics and after it finished, I could disconnect. ( I had an iv lock so they could give it to me every 4 hours). However, I still walked around the hospital while I was being given the meds. Unfortunately, I never got contractions so I ended up having to be induced. If my water hadn’t broken i would have probably waited longer, but since I was gbs and it had been over 12 hours since my water broke and I had no progression, I decided to start pitocin. I had some complications during pushing but I feel that none of that was due to being gbs +. The only thing that I felt the gbs affected was my decision not to wait longer. I think if my water hadn’t have broken I would have waited longer too but since my water had broken, and the gbs, i susceptible to more infection so I went ahead with pitocin. Everyone is different, remember that. You will have the antibiotics, but ask for a heplock or iv lock and that way you can disconnect from all the cords. Don’t let it scare you. Again, our bodies are made for birth and just try to foucs on that and a positive experience, regardless of what turns it takes. I still believe that even though I had to be induced and even with the complications I had, in the end it was still a positive experience, just different than I thought it would be. 🙂 best of luck to you! And congrats on your baby!
By the way, my daughter just turned a year two weeks ago. She’s perfectly healthy. 🙂
I was devastated when I found out the I was GBS+ because it meant that a drug-free birth was no longer possible. I was also terrified of my water breaking and having to be induced or not having enough time during my labour to get the required course of antibiotics. So many worries started haunting me just from that one diagnosis! It was a reminder that I would need to focus more on allowing whatever needed to happen as long as the outcome was a healthy baby.
In the end, I had to be induced anyways and had a host of other complications during labour that I could have never planned for. Honestly, the GBS intervention was the least of my worries that day and while I wish that the need for antibiotics (and everything else that came along with my birth story) were different, I am so in love with the four-month old that is sleeping on me as I write this.
I would advise any woman experiencing the disappointment and fear that arises from the positive GBS screen to instead focus on mentally preparing to be open to whatever needs to happen for the health of their precious little one and to not dwell on all of the variables that are out of our control.
I was positive for it as well, I was on my drip at the hospital. They have to keep you there 48 after birth to watch the baby. My LO is 11 weeks old and perfect, no issues here.