Pregnancy entails undergoing several tests to ensure the safety of the unborn baby. One of the tests that pregnant women in Singapore often take is the GBS test or Group B Strep (GBS) test. Wondering why you should undergo testing? Is there any risk? What happens if the test is positive? Also, is it possible to avoid GBS during pregnancy?
Mum, don’t worry, everything will be fine.
We are not as sterile as was originally believed; we all contain microorganisms in our bodies. The microbiota, a term used to describe the colony of bacteria found inside the body, often performs numerous crucial roles in digestion and overall health. However, occasionally, “bad” bacteria colonise.
Group B Streptococcus
The germs that cause group B strep infection (also known as GBS or group B Streptococcus) are often discovered in a person’s vagina or rectal area. GBS affects about 25 per cent of expectant women but they are unaware of it because there are no symptoms.
During a vaginal birth, a pregnant woman with GBS can transmit the bacterium to the unborn child. Group B strep problems are more likely to occur in infants, older adults, or individuals whose immune systems are compromised or underdeveloped.
Babies may contract group B strep during delivery or in the first few weeks of life. It may result in severe problems. For group B strep during pregnancy, women are checked. If you test positive, antibiotics can be used to treat the infection.
Most newborns with GBS do not develop any symptoms. However, in a small number of neonates, the bacteria can result in serious infections that are even fatal. As part of your standard prenatal care, healthcare professionals will screen you for group B strep. Your doctor will administer antibiotics if you test positive.
How Do You Get Group B Strep in Pregnancy?
Your body has GBS bacteria in places like your intestines, genital tract, and urine system. Adults cannot contract it through direct contact with an infected individual or by sharing food or beverages with them. Although experts don’t fully understand how the bacteria spreads, they do know that it can be dangerous for infants and adults with compromised immune systems.
There is no sexual transmission of group B strep (STD). A quarter of all healthy women carry the bacteria that causes group B strep, which typically dwells in the rectum, vagina, or intestines. Most women who carry the GBS bacteria do not exhibit any symptoms.
GBS in Pregnancy
The majority of GBS-carrying pregnant women experience no symptoms, and their kids grow normally. Although having GBS won’t make your pregnancy “high risk,” it does raise the likelihood that a pregnant woman will experience:
- a urethral infection (UTI)
- an illness that affects the blood (called sepsis)
- a uterine lining infection.
GBS pregnancy raises your chance of getting amniotic fluid and placental infections. The placenta is an organ that grows during pregnancy and provides nourishment and oxygen to the foetus. Your developing baby is protected and cushioned in the uterus by amniotic fluid.
These ailments can raise your risk of having a preterm birth, which is when your baby is born too soon.
Being GBS-positive shouldn’t affect when, how, or how quickly you deliver.
Group B Strep Symptoms
Image source: iStock
A vast majority of people do not suffer from group B strep symptoms. Although rare, it can induce symptoms in elderly people or those with specific medical issues. These signs consist of:
- A fever, chills, and exhaustion
- Trouble breathing
- Chest aches
- Stiff muscles
Symptoms of GBS in newborns include:
Because babies lack immunity, these illnesses can swiftly worsen. Infants who contract group B strep can develop serious conditions like sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis.
Test for GBS Infection in Pregnancy
All pregnancies should undergo routine group B strep testing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Between 36 and 37 weeks of pregnancy, a GBS pregnancy screening is performed on you. For the group B strep test, your doctor will swab your vagina and rectum before sending it to a lab for examination.
Can Group B strep harm an unborn child?
The foetal infant is unaffected by GBS while it is still inside your uterus. Nevertheless, during labour and delivery, you could give your kid GBS. Antibiotic treatment for GBS lowers the possibility of GBS transmission to the unborn child.
How To Prevent GBS in Pregnancy
To lessen the chance of transmitting GBS to your unborn child, your doctor will prescribe an IV antibiotic if you have tested positive for GBS. From a needle put into your arm, the IV enables the drug to flow into your vein.
Image source: iStock
Don’t put off going to the hospital if you are aware that you have GBS once your water breaks or labour begins. You should take the antibiotic, typically penicillin, for at least four hours prior to giving birth for it to be most effective.
Ask your doctor about the suggested antibiotic course if you have GBS pregnancy and a planned C-section. Your doctor might decide against treating you for GBS if your water has not broken and you are not in labour because infection typically spreads once a baby passes through the birth canal.
However, patients undergoing major surgery, particularly C-sections, are frequently given antibiotics to avoid infections. Therefore, during your C-section, your doctor may administer antibiotics that also treat GBS.
Your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic simply to be safe if you go into labour early and have not undergone the GBS test.
How To Treat GBS in Pregnancy Naturally
What happens if you test positive for group B strep during pregnancy?
During labour and delivery, medical professionals treat you with intravenous (IV) antibiotics to prevent GBS infection in your unborn child. Penicillin or ampicillin is the most often used antibiotic to treat group B strep. Giving you an antibiotic now helps stop the transmission of GBS from you to your infant.
GBS treatment prior to delivery is ineffective. It is preferable to take the antibiotics at least four hours before birth. This kind of therapy prevents about 90% of infections.
When GBS is found in the urine, treatment timing is one exception. If this is the case, oral antibiotic therapy starts as soon as GBS is diagnosed (regardless of the stage of pregnancy). During labour, antibiotics should still be administered intravenously.
Any pregnant woman who has previously given birth to a child who contracted GBS or who has experienced a GBS-related urinary tract infection during this pregnancy will also receive treatment during labour.
The following are your treatment options if you test positive with GBS:
- Maintain a healthy vaginal flora and avoid yeast overgrowth by eating a balanced, healthful diet low in processed sweets.
- Take a daily multivitamin that contains a lot of vitamin C. (some websites recommend megadoses of 2,000mg or higher per day)
- Consistently consume lots of water
- Keep all vaginal examinations to a minimum and only permit them when absolutely necessary.
- Make sure you and your partner thoroughly wash your hands before and after sexual activity.
- Use a probiotic supplement designed for pregnant women.
- Each morning, on an empty stomach, sip a glass of warm water with 1 teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar.
- Wash your underwear at 90 degrees and tumble dry (for at least 30 minutes on high heat) or iron them after they’re dry to prevent reinfection (this is a helpful tip for those pesky yeast infections too).
How Is Group B Strep Treated in Newborns?
Despite the diagnosis and antibiotic therapy during labour, some newborns continue to get GBS infections. To check for GBS infection, medical professionals may take a sample of the infant’s blood or spinal fluid. If your infant has GBS, they will receive antibiotics intravenously.
Image source: iStock
During vaginal birth, mums can transmit the common bacteria GBS to their kids. While it doesn’t happen often, the baby may face serious risks when it does.
Your doctor will test you for GBS in order to help shield your baby from any potential infections. You will be given antibiotics during childbirth if you test positive.
Don’t hesitate to consult your gynaecologist about any tests you need to undergo or steps you need to take to prevent infections during pregnancy.
Healthline, Cleveland Clinic, Placenta Network
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