Importance of group B streptococcus (GBS) test in pregnant women

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacteria that can be found in the vagina and rectum of pregnant women. This bacteria is also present in the vagina and rectum of 25% of healthy women. While the bacteria are harmless to the carrier, if left untreated, it can be passed to the baby during childbirth.

Group B strep testing is done for all pregnant women. If you're a carrier of GBS, you won't have any symptoms (it's not related to strep A, the type that causes throat infections) - which means you won't know you're a carrier.
That has the potential to cause trouble until delivery, because a baby who gets GBS during birth is at risk for serious infection (although only one in 200 babies is born to a GBS-positive mother. ).
But as long as you are given IV antibiotics during labor, any risk to your baby is completely eliminated. If your doctor doesn't offer GBS testing in late pregnancy, ask for it.

This test is usually done between 35 and 37 weeks of pregnancy (testing before 35 weeks is not accurate in predicting who will carry GBS at the time of labor).

Some hospitals and birthing centers offer a rapid GBS test that can screen women during labor and provide results within an hour, replacing a few weeks before. Ask your doctor if that is an option at the facility where you will be accommodated.
If you've had a baby with GBS in the past, your doctor may skip the test and start treatment during labor.
And even if you weren't tested but were born with some risk factors associated with group B strep (premature birth, rupture of membranes earlier than 18 hours before birth, or fever during labor), your doctor Your doctor will show you IV Antibiotics to make sure you don't infect your baby.

During the pelvic exam, your doctor will test for group B strep during pregnancy by taking a separate swab of your vagina and a swab of your rectum. The swabs will be sent to a lab for analysis.
GBS may also be present in urine cultures obtained during prenatal testing. If it does, it will be treated immediately with oral antibiotics and again in labor with IV antibiotics.

If the vaginal discharge test results are positive for GBS, this simply means that you are a healthy carrier.
Not all babies born to a mother who test positive for GBS will be infected. About 1 in 200 infants born to mothers who have Group B Streptococcus infection and are not treated with antibiotics will develop signs and symptoms of Group B Strep infection. However, there are symptoms that may indicate You have a higher risk of having a baby with Group B Streptococcus.
These symptoms include :
Water breaks prematurely before 37 weeks Water breaks prematurely 18 hours or more before delivery Fever during labor Urinary tract infection with Group B Streptococcus during pregnancy History of previous birth Here the baby has Group B Streptococcus In this case, your doctor will use antibiotics to protect your baby from Group B Streptococcus at birth.
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Article referenced source: Vietnam Pasteur Institute