Infection? What is Group B Strep?

A friend of mine recently came to me concerned about his daughter. Due to deliver Image via Wikipediawithin a few weeks, she had just told him she was positive for Group B Strep and would need antibiotics during labor. He had never heard of this and wanted my thoughts. He wanted to know if there was any danger for her or for her baby.


Group B Strep is one that frequently puzzles and concerns many people. Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacteria that is found in 25-30% of pregnant women. Most women do not have symptoms or become sick, but they carry the bacteria in their bodies, hence they are called "carriers". Adults can have GBS in the bowel, vagina, bladder or throat. Most of the time the bacteria poses no threat to the woman at all. However, if her baby comes into contact with the Group B strep bacteria during birth, the baby can become very ill. In fact, according to the CDC, Group B Strep is the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborns. It is the most common cause of sepsis (blood infection) and meningitis (infection of the fluid surrounding the brain) in newborns.

How Do You Get Group B Strep - Is it a Sexually Transmitted Disease?
The bacteria that causes GBS normally lives in the intestine, rectal areas of men and women, and also lives in the vagina of women. Colonization of the bacteria is not a sexually transmitted disease. GBS may come and go in people's bodies without symptoms throughout their lives.

How Do I Know If I Am Group B Strep +?
Most health-care providers will use a screening test late in pregnancy to determine if you carry Group B strep. Most health-care providers will test between 35-37 weeks of pregnancy.

The test is simple and painless. A sterile swab (Q-tip) is used to collect a sample from the vagina and rectum. It is then sent to a laboratory to be tested for Group B strep.

What if My Test Comes Back Positive?
If your test comes back positive, it will be noted on your prenatal record. You should also be aware of it and inform your care givers as soon as you arrive in labor. You will receive intravenous (IV) antibiotics throughout your labor.


Why Can't I Be Treated As Soon As My Test Comes Back?
Even if treated with antibiotics as soon as your test results were available, it is highly likely the bacteria would return by the time you were in labor. The goal is to keep the baby from coming in contact with the bacteria, so treating the GBS during labor is the best way to accomplish that. In fact, since the early 1990's, the onset of newborn GBS disease has decreased by 80%, due to the treatment of mothers in labor.

Is There Any Risk to Me Being Treated for GBS?
There is a rare chance (about 1 in 10,000) of having a severe allergic reaction to the antibiotic which would require treatment. Penicillin is most often given, but if you are allergic to Penicillin, there are other antibiotics that can be substituted.

By being treated in labor, you reduce the chances of your baby developing newborn GBS disease from 1 in 200 to 1 in 4000!


Is GBS the same as a Yeast Infection? Or the same as Strep Throat?
Yeast infections are caused by yeast and not bacteria. Taking antibiotics can often increase the liklihood of developing a yeast infection because killing the bacteria normally found in the vagina gives yeast more of a chance to grow.

Strep throat, while caused by a streptococcus bacteria, is caused by Group A streptococcus. Group A and Group B streptococcus are two different kinds of bacteria each belonging to the same family, but of different species.


Once I am GBS +, Will I Always Be?
GBS can come and go in people's bodies without our knowing it. If you have had one pregnancy that was GBS+, your health-care provider may not even test you with Image via Wikipediasubsequent pregnancies, but decide to treat you as positive instead.

The most important thing about GBS to remember is that it is common, it is not a sexually transmitted disease and that it is easily treated to help prevent a dangerous infection in your baby.