Group B Strep: treatment

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Do I need a drip if I get a positive test result?

If you have had any positive GBS test result during the current pregnancy, you should be offered a drip containing antibiotics once labour starts and at intervals until the baby's delivered. If GBS was found in a urine sample, oral antibiotics will be prescribed at the time, and again if you are offered an antibiotic drip when you're in labour.

What are the potential risks of antibiotics?

The estimated risks for penicillin are:

1 in 10 of the mother developing a mild allergic reaction, such as a rash
1 in 10,000 of the mother developing a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
1 in 100,000 of the mother developing fatal anaphylaxis, resulting in her death (however, in the US between 1997 and 2001, an estimated 1.8 million women were given penicillin in labour and no deaths were reported).

It is very important that you tell your nurse, doctor or midwife, if you have ever suffered any reaction to any antibiotic.

Anaphylaxis in the mother can also cause severe complications in the unborn baby.

Pregnant women need to weigh up the risks and potential benefits, and consider when they might want to have antibiotics.

Will a Caesarean prevent GBS infecting my baby?

Not necessarily. And Caesareans carry significant risks, while the recommended antibiotics via drip are both low risk and highly effective. Caesareans are not recommended as a way of preventing group B Strep in babies.