What is Group B Streptococcus (GBS)?

Group B Strep is a bacterial infection that usually does not cause serious illness. GBS can be found in several different areas including the digestive, urinary and the reproductive tract. GBS can be found in up to 30% of pregnant women. For women, GBS is commonly found in the vagina and rectum. GBS is commonly mistaken as a sexually transmitted disease, but it is NOT! For most healthy adults GBS is harmless, but GBS infection can be serious in pregnant women and their babies. If a woman is GBS positive during pregnancy she carries a risk of passing the GBS infection to her baby during delivery, therefore we treat GBS positive mothers during labor.

Symptoms of GBS infection during pregnancy may include:

A positive GBS infection may cause no symptoms at all, but some common symptoms are:

• Bladder infection- pain or burning with urination, frequency, urgency, or blood in the urine
• Kidney infection- can include symptoms of a bladder infection, along with fever, back pain, nausea and vomiting
• Amniotic infection- fever, abdominal tenderness, tachycardia (increased heart rate) in mother or fetus

Effects on Baby

GBS infection is passed from mother to baby during delivery in about 2 out of every 100 babies born to GBS mothers who did not receive treatment.

Early Infection:

• Develop shortly after delivery as the baby passes through the birth canal
• Occur within the first seven days of birth, but most occur within the first six hours of birth

Late Infection:

• Occur after the first seven days of birth
• Half of late infections may occur from other sources of infection, such as another person who may be infected with GBS

GBS infection may cause inflammation of the baby’s lungs, blood, skin, bones, joints, spinal cord or brain. GBS infection leads to death in about 5% of GBS positive babies.

How is GBS tested?

GBS is most accurately tested for via a culture swab. During one of your visits between 35-37 weeks your provider will test for GBS. It is a vaginal and rectal swab. The results may take up to two days. If you have symptoms or go into preterm labor your provider will test you earlier.

Treatment Options for GBS:

To reduce the risk of GBS infection to your baby your provider will recommend treatment with antibiotics during your labor. This is a recommendation given to all women who test positive for GBS in pregnancy. For women who are GBS positive and do not receive treatment during labor, neonatal risk of infection is 20 times higher compared to those who receive treatment.

Treatment with antibiotics decreases the number of bacteria that can be harmful to baby during birth. Antibiotics are giving through an IV during labor, if given earlier the GBS may grow back because the bacteria grow so fast. Penicillin is the preferred choice of antibiotic treatment to prevent GBS infection in babies. If you are allergic to penicillin your provider will choose a different antibiotic.

Finally…

GBS is common in pregnant women and yet few babies become sick from GBS infection due to proper treatment during labor.