Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Hi everyone...I noticed a post about the vaginal strep swab test. I just had it done a couple of weeks ago and came up positive for strep. I was scared when the nurse practitioner told me this, but she said that it is very common??? She also said that since I am scheduled for a planned c-section in 3 weeks (and not delivering vaginally) that I shouldn't be concerned. This makes me very nervous. Has anyone else experienced this? I am going in tomorrow to see the doc and I am going to ask him about it again, but if anyone else has had this happen, I would love to hear about it. Thanks! Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 it is very common, it's just a precaution. if you are delivering vaginally, they will be pumping you full of antibiotics prior to delivery and while you're in labor. my friend had 3 kids, she tested positive for strep for the first two but not the third, so it is very common. i also tested positive for it. everyone carries bacteria and infection on thier body it's natural. aka mom2ben99 (jennilee75@...) Kay Independent Beauty Consultant http://www.marykay.com/koopmans I have all your summer care needs...tanning lotion, sunblock, even sunblock for your lips, get yours today! Strep question Hi everyone...I noticed a post about the vaginal strep swab test. I just had it done a couple of weeks ago and came up positive for strep. I was scared when the nurse practitioner told me this, but she said that it is very common??? She also said that since I am scheduled for a planned c-section in 3 weeks (and not delivering vaginally) that I shouldn't be concerned. This makes me very nervous. Has anyone else experienced this? I am going in tomorrow to see the doc and I am going to ask him about it again, but if anyone else has had this happen, I would love to hear about it. Thanks! Lori D. Children are a blessing, and a gift from the Lord. -Psalm 127:3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Lori, As a L & D nurse, many (70-80%?) have or have had a positive group B strep culture during pregnancy. A couple of doses of an IV antibiotic when you arrive at the hospital for your c-section and you and the baby are covered. If you have preterm labor, you will be given your IV antibiotics asap at least 4 hours before delivery. Not a problem, unless its NOT treated. Generally, the worst thing is the baby most likely will develop thrush (white patches on mouth/tongue) which is cured easily enough as well. Relax... Sheila, L & D/NICU RN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 another note about the Group B strep issue, at our hospital, once you test positive (1st preg, 2nd preg or others) you will ALWAYS be considered a GBS carrier and you will always be treated w/ IV antibiotics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 If you will forgive the formatting... here is a paper that I wrote on GBS in pregnancy....should answer many (most?) of any questions... ******************** THE REAL RISKS OF GROUP B STREP (GBS) by Soderblom CLD CCCE CD(DONA) So many expectant mothers find out during the last few weeks of pregnancy that they have tested positive for Group B Strep, and they wonder what this means for them and their baby. What kind of risk does this hold for their baby? This paper will hopefully help you understand the risks of GBS. * There are two types of GBS – early onset (occurs before 7 days of life), and late onset (occurs after 7 days of life). * 15-40% of women are estimated to be colonized (infected) with GBS * 98-99% of babies born to mothers who are GBS+ will not be colonized... ~ Of those infected with EARLY onset of GBS...15% will die. This is about 3/4th of babies infected with GBS. ~ Of those infected with LATE onset of GBS...50% of those were not infected by their mothers, but by outside sources such as hospital personnel... Here are the real risks of GBS if we take the “worst case scenario” according to various estimations... If 40% of women have GBS...and those who have GBS have a 1 in 200 chance (according to the CDC) of having a baby infected with GBS. That means that even if we DON'T screen a woman for GBS...the odds that her baby will be infected is .2%. Of the babies that are infected (.2%), those infected with early onset (75% of them) brings the total percentage of babies in the general population who, if mom were not screened and no antibiotics at ANY time were given, that would contract early onset GBS...we're at .15% of babies who would contract GBS at all. Continuing on...assuming we didn't screen at all, didn't give antibiotics, did nothing at all...the percentage of babies who would be born, contract early onset group B strep, and would die from this infection....we're at the last figure of .0225% (or 1 in 4444 babies in the general public without screening) So...if we didn't culture any women in this country...being as pessimistic as the numbers allow...only .0225% of babies are mortally at risk from early onset GBS, and only ..15% of any babies would be expected to even contract early onset GBS. What increases the risk? There are certain conditions that we know increase the risk to a baby of a GBS+ mother. Those conditions are… * Previous baby colonized with GBS * Preterm birth (<37 weeks) * Premature Rupture of Membranes (<37 weeks) * Rupture of membranes during labor 18 hours or more before delivery * A fever during labor of >100.4 What is done if I test GBS+? There are three basic options that you may be able to choose from. * Antibiotics in labor to prevent the transmission of GBS to the newborn. * Antibiotics in labor if mom presents with risk factors (listed above) * Watch baby for signs such as fever or breathing difficulties and treat the baby with antibiotics if s/he show signs of infection The current CDC recommendations (which just changed in 2003) are that all pregnant women should be routinely screened for GBS between 35-37 weeks of pregnancy, all women who test GBS+ should be given antibiotics during the course of their labor, and all women whose GBS status is unknown should be treated with antibiotics only if they develop risk factors. ************************************************ Soderblom CCCE CD(DONA) CLD CAAC Student Midwife - Mesa, AZ CAPPA Board of Directors Doula/CBE/Pregnancy/Birth Photography Owner: Birth Story Diaries - real births, real photos http://www.birthdiaries.com Owner: SouthwestDoulas.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Sheila, I think your attitude about thrush is a little too casual. I was group B strep positive, had antibiotics during my homebirth with Joanne, and then she and I struggled with thrush for ten weeks. It made breastfeeding REALLY hard, and I absolutely was not going to give up, or I would have. Nystatin is what they like to give you and the baby... that solution is 27% SUGAR. Yeast LOVE sugar. Nystatin doesn't really seem to help, or at least, it didn't do a dang thing for us. We ended up using gentian violet, which can be tricky and can be toxic. It was the only thing that worked, though. Maybe if you're going to formula-feed it's no big deal, and I'm not going to say that I think antibiotics during labor to avoid giving the baby Group B are a bad idea, but thrush is not necessarily easily cured and it can destroy a breastfeeding relationship. We did go on to nurse for 25 months, including after my RNY, so obviously we worked through it, but there were days that were hell on earth for me while we had thrush. Z Alan 02/11/84 Joanne Natasha 01/13/00 Open RNY 09/17/01 Re: Strep question To: ossg-pregnant Lori, As a L & D nurse, many (70-80%?) have or have had a positive group B strep culture during pregnancy. A couple of doses of an IV antibiotic when you arrive at the hospital for your c-section and you and the baby are covered. If you have preterm labor, you will be given your IV antibiotics asap at least 4 hours before delivery. Not a problem, unless its NOT treated. Generally, the worst thing is the baby most likely will develop thrush (white patches on mouth/tongue) which is cured easily enough as well. Relax... Sheila, L & D/NICU RN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Lori I tested positive too and they gave me vaginal cream when i tested positive and then i was given antibiotics when i delivered, i had him vaginally so thats why i needed to be treated the thing they are worried about is the baby passing through the birth canal and since your having a c-section u dont have to worry but i dont beleive it would hurt if it made you feel better to take something for it..ask your dr about that.. > Hi everyone...I noticed a post about the vaginal strep swab test. I > just had it done a couple of weeks ago and came up positive for strep. > I was scared when the nurse practitioner told me this, but she said > that it is very common??? She also said that since I am scheduled for > a planned c-section in 3 weeks (and not delivering vaginally) that I > shouldn't be concerned. This makes me very nervous. Has anyone else > experienced this? I am going in tomorrow to see the doc and I am > going to ask him about it again, but if anyone else has had this > happen, I would love to hear about it. Thanks! > Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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