Group B Strep
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12386
Printed Date: 02 November 2025 at 9:23pm
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Topic: Group B Strep
Posted By: MumsyMoo
Subject: Group B Strep
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 12:02pm
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Hey there ladies,
Was just wanting to get a few opinions about the swab for Group B strep that they offer at 35-37 weeks. This has just recently been brought up by my midwife and I'm still unsure as to whether or not it's something I'll do. So was just wondering what you all thought about it, how you feel about it etc etc. Any replies appreciated 
Thanks! -------------  My wee girl is the love and light of my life!
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Replies:
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 12:26pm
| I did any test my MW said I should do, including strep b |
Posted By: fairsk8
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 1:47pm
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I feel it is important to do, as gone undetected Strep B can have effects on your unborn baby. I got checked as I often have strep b, normally they pick it up at every smear I have, my mum and sister also get it as well. So during pregnancy I was tested for it. ------------- http://www.bump-and-beyond.com/"> 
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Posted By: my4beauties
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 2:02pm
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I had a swab done around 30 weeks to check for thrush & it came back I had Strep B. I would definitely get it checked/tested if I had the choice. You don't want the baby catching it if you have it, on its way out! ------------- My babies: R (9),G (7), J (5) http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: baalamb
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 2:28pm
| I saw it as just a routine test that they do in pregnancies. It didn't bother me in the slightest, and all the better to find out before it's too late and it impacts on the baby. Is there any particular reason why you're hesitant on making a decision, Serenity? Please excuse me if that's too forward! I'm just curious to know why you would question it. |
Posted By: MumsyMoo
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 2:41pm
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Well, it would seem the other Women in the Jan thread hadn't even been informed about this, so I'm glad i brought it up.
I don't know why I'm so ho-hum... Yes, I realise that in 2 months time it's gonna be all out there for the world to see, but I don't really have a say in that. I guess my hesitancy stems from a certain childhood 'incident' and the fact that I've never had to go through anything like this before (I've not yet had a smear or anything like that either) S'pose it's kinda immature in a way, in saying that, chances are that I'll do the swab, as I want my baby to have the best chance possible of being completely healthy. I guess I just wanted to get some other peoples input, as not one person I had consulted prior to you women had ever done it or heard of it ------------- My wee girl is the love and light of my life!
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 3:39pm
| That's strange that no one you know has heard of it! My MW just handed me a swab, told me what it was to test for and told me to just go do it when I wanted and hand it in to the lab or bring it back to her to take to the lab. At least its something you can do in privacy. |
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 3:54pm
I was never offered this by mw, didn't even know that there was a test out there for it.  It's too late now, but it just goes to show how hopeless and uninformative my mw was! ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: mummy_dee
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 4:31pm
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I was never informed of this either (and i have a great mw). Definitely be asking about this when I see her next though. Thanks for bringing this up Serenity! ------------- Daphne Married Stuart: 19/03/05 Oliver: 9/06/06 Lilia due: 19/03/08 http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 4:49pm
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I'm one of the Jan mums that hadn't heard of this test either. Maybe my midwife will bring it up in the next few visits though. If not I'll definitely be asking about it. Serenity at least it sounds like the option is there for you to do it yourself if you really feel that uncomfortable. -------------  
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 4:50pm
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Yeah I was never told about or offered this either. And at my yoga group loads of women were talking about having bloods and urine tests at 28 weeks which I didn't get offered either. Seems their isn't really any continuity of care.
Hey Serenity if you are uncomfortable about things maybe you could look at doing this swab as a bit of a practice before the main event, or ask if you can do it yourself. ------------- 
 
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 7:15pm
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If you remember Shorty Street when Shannon got pregnant the first time and her baby died. It was because she had group strep B and it was never picked up when she was pregnant as she didn't have any ante natal care. There is a push to make it a regular screen done in every pregnancy as it is quite common. I have it and when I was in labour I had an IV stuck in my arm and when I got to about 7cm I had penicillen but in it so when the baby came out the bugs weren't passed through to them. No issues with the swab, I was given it and told to do it at home and take it to the lab myself. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 7:51pm
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I did the test, proved i had it....had everyone prepared for the anibiotics etc...but then Ella came out the zipper in end anyways (wishful thinking on our part for the other!!!) and am glad I know as possibly will continue to have for each pregnancy so at least we will be prepared...i had a specialist and am allergic to penicillen so was good to find out ahead of time and be able to have everyone on stand by with alternatives!
an article a few weeks back in NZWW i think it was about a baby that passed from strep...I ask why wouldnt you test???? |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 8:15pm
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Hi Serenity, I am rather 'shy' as well and this test really had me worked up the first time too. I thought that every mw raised this as an advisable option with their ladies. The test itself is very easy and uninvasive. You are given what looks like a long cotton bud and you do the swab yourself. You swish it around in your vagina while sitting on the loo and that's about it. You don't feel anything and it doesn't scrape against anything in the way that a smear does.
I was tested for strep B with all three pgcies but only had it with Kryssi's. As a result they were very careful to not do too many internal examinations (so as to not mix the infection in the vagina with anything beyond the cervix) which is most definitely a plus! They re-swabbed me when I went into labour (but only because there was plenty of time) and did a couple of extra checks on Kryssi when she was born, such as swabbing just under the top ear flap - so no biggie there either. Some mw's aren't too interested in swab results because pretty much everyone has strep B from time to time but it comes and goes and whether you have strep B on the baby's birth day and have it on the 35 week check can differ for that reason. I found my nervousness about the test was simply because I didn't really understand what happened. So hopefully this helps you make a decision. And btw I went on to have my first smear when DD #1 was 2 lol ------------- |
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 8:18pm
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Serenity, as far as I'm aware, you do the swab yourself so it isnt like a smear where there is someone down there. ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 8:58pm
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I have never been told by either of my mw with my 3 pregnancies. I had swabs done for thrush that wouldnt go away ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 9:13pm
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Oh yes I forgot that I got antibiotics after my waters started leaking, that was their biggest concern. ------------- |
Posted By: baalamb
Date Posted: 20 November 2007 at 9:31pm
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Mine was taken by the specialist. I was under specialist care (not a MW) and the swab was taken at one of my regular pregnancy appointments. Had my cousin not warned me already that it was coming up, I might have been a little bit taken aback when the doc announced to get up on the bed! So I'm guessing that it depends on who your LMC is as to who does the swab.
Perhaps you can ask your MW how the procedure is done and whether you can do it yourself. |
Posted By: sunnyhoney
Date Posted: 21 November 2007 at 11:48am
I got the Group B Strep too but it was picked up in a routine urine test I never had to do/got offered the swab . I am the same as you Serenity, quite private and very wary of tests that have to occur "down there" but the tests are to make sure we (and baby) are healthy. If you can do the test yourself that might be the way to go. Good luck! I hope you don't have it, coz that IV during labour is one thing you can do without I reckon  ------------- Mum to: Joy Emily 1.05am 27/09/07 7lb 3oz Austin Paul 12.47pm 18/04/10 10lb 8oz |
Posted By: Jay_R
Date Posted: 21 November 2007 at 12:14pm
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I had it too, and had an antibiotic drip in my hand through labour, which was a pain and then I ended up having a c-section, so they just switched the antibiotics for pethidene once he was born!
I don't understand why a lot of you ladies hadn't been told about it It can be incredibly dangerous if your baby catches it from you when they are born. And I think the stats are something like 45% of all women have it. Grrrrr to your midwives and obstetricians
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 21 November 2007 at 3:51pm
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far out... i cant believe this either..every single pregnant women i know has HAD to have it done..due to potential danger to the baby..i have had it done early due to test for thrush as well(sorry TMI) and they found i had it..so it's good to know in case i go early..
all the people i know did it themselves..i have smears every year so wasn't a big deal for me..i can understand why it would be for some people though ( something that happened when i was young too) but for me it was more about potential health risks due to abnormal smears so i have been used to having them every year.. I don't think MW is planning on retesting me and if i hadn't already been tested she wouldn't have bought it up yet either.. noone i know has been given a choice..though i guess they cant make you do anything..I'm just glad i know so that i can have the antibiotics if i have a natural birth ... i generally would have any test mw suggested esp where my bubs could be at risk:( ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: mummy_dee
Date Posted: 04 December 2007 at 1:41pm
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* bump * ------------- Daphne Married Stuart: 19/03/05 Oliver: 9/06/06 Lilia due: 19/03/08 http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: kabe
Date Posted: 04 December 2007 at 2:08pm
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This is a topic I feel quite strongly about, having seen the consequences of a strep infection in an unborn baby. My friend lost her baby at 24 weeks due to it picking up a strep infection from her. Unfortunately they don't test for it earlier, which is why she didn't know she was infected. If given the option I say definately have it, as it's uninvasive and the consequences can be pretty dire if you have it, but don't get it treated. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 04 December 2007 at 8:09pm
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How could that be, unless the waters had started leaking that early? I was told that the infection can't get to the baby otherwise. ------------- |
Posted By: kabe
Date Posted: 05 December 2007 at 8:51am
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Busymum, yes her waters did start leaking. Was admitted to hospital, but nothing they could do for her bub. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 05 December 2007 at 6:37pm
Oh  ------------- |