However, if you plan to get pregnant, you need to know if you are a GBS carrier. If you pass GBS to your baby during childbirth, it could make them very sick. Here’s what you need to know about how GBS is diagnosed and treated during pregnancy and labor, as well as how you can protect your baby after birth.
Testing for Group B Strep
Group B strep can be in your body at any time, but it might not be in your body all the time. You might test positive at some points during your pregnancy and not at others. That’s why you will need to be tested when you are close to delivering because that’s when your baby is at the highest risk for infection.
Group B strep is found in the human body, especially the intestinal and genital tracts. It does not usually cause illness.Group B strep is not an infection that you get through sexual activity, by sharing food or drinks, or through touching objects that have GBS bacteria on them.Group B strep is not passed through breastmilk; a person with GBS can safely breastfeed their baby if they choose to do so.Group B strep is not the same as the bacteria that causes strep throat (Group A strep).Group B strep that invades other parts of the body (such as the lungs, brain, or blood) can make a person very sick; this is called GBS disease.
Babies can come into contact with group B strep bacteria as they pass through the vagina during birth. Getting diagnosed with GBS and treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics while you are in labor reduces the risk of passing the infection to your baby from one in 200 to one in 4,000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant people are tested for GBS at 35 to 37 weeks. For the test, a sterile swab is used to collect a sample from the vagina and rectum. Then, the sample is sent to the lab and cultured to see if group B bacteria grow. The process can take a few days, which means the results are not immediate. If a baby shows signs of GBS, testing them will require a sample of blood or spinal fluid.
Should You Have a C-Section?
Experts do not recommend having a cesarean section (C-section) solely because you tested positive for GBS. If you are having a planned C-section, you will receive antibiotics as part of the surgery and won’t need additional antibiotics if you have GBS.
GBS was detected in your urine at any point during your pregnancy You go into labor before 37 weeks You had a previous baby with GBS You have a fever of 100.4 or higher during labor You tested positive for GBS in a previous pregnancy Your GBS status is not known Your water has been broken for longer than 18 hours
You should still get tested for GBS even if you are having a C-section. It will be important for your healthcare team to know if you are positive for GBS in case you go into labor and deliver before your scheduled procedure.
GBS Complications in Newborns
GBS infection can cause inflammation of a baby’s lungs, spinal cord, or brain. These infections can cause hearing or vision loss. GBS is also associated with cerebral palsy. If there are complications from the infection, such as sepsis or pneumonia, GBS can be deadly.
Symptoms
Babies who have GBS will have symptoms that are similar to other (more common) conditions or infections. If your baby is known to be at risk for GBS, your healthcare providers will monitor them for signs and symptoms of an infection. Signs and symptoms that could indicate GBS include:
Areas of red skin on the body Blue tint to the skin (cyanosis) Changes in blood pressure Fever Fussiness, irritability Hard to wake up from sleep Lethargy or “limpness” Moving one or more limbs less often Poor feeding Seizures or convulsions Trouble breathing, fast breathing, or periods of not breathing
Early vs. Late Infection
Early GBS infections tend to occur within the first 48 hours after birth but can occur up to seven days after delivery. Early infection can be prevented with antibiotics given during labor. Babies with early-onset GBS typically have symptoms shortly after birth. Late GBS infections develop after the first week of life and are not prevented by antibiotics that are given during labor. Babies with late-onset GBS often are healthy at birth and develop symptoms later. The rates of early- and late-onset GBS are similar. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about 930 babies get early-onset GBS each year and about 1,050 babies get late-onset GBS. While early infections arise from exposure during delivery, late infections are not always acquired at birth. In fact, half of them come from other sources—such as contact with people in the hospital or at home who are GBS carriers.
What You Can Do
The most important thing you can do to protect your baby is get tested for GBS while you are pregnant and, if you are positive, receive antibiotics during your labor. There are no additional steps that you can take to specifically protect your baby from GBS once they are born. The most important thing you can do is learn the signs and symptoms of GBS infection and know how to recognize them. If you have any concerns about GBS or think your baby might be showing signs of the infection, contact your provider right away.
