Strep B Positive

[mbfl450]

During my doctor's appointment today, my OB told me I was Strep B positive. Anyone else out there test positive? She suggested IV penicllin when I go into labor. Any other suggestions?

[JamieCatheryn]

In the hospital they'll basically insist on the IV antibiotics if you haven't tested negative. I tried to refuse and they hounded me until I gave in. Even then since they gave it 3 hours before the birth they drew a blood sample from DS's head and made us stay longer for monitoring. It was awful.

One alternative is to only give antibiotics if baby comes a little early or water is broken something like 18 hours. Another is to rinse with hibiclense (spelling?) in labor. Also garlic and probiotics in the weeks leading up to labor is often recommended.

With my homebirth we didn't have somebody else's rules to deal with, didn't bother to test (probably was +), but the water broke under an hour before birth and baby came 41+ weeks, no risk factors, didn't do a thing.

[emnic77]

GBS comes and goes, just because you test positive now doesn't mean you'll be positive at birth. As long as you have no risk factors (not premature, no PROM) I would avoid the antibiotics. That's a huge megadose of antibiotics for a newborn, especially when we have MRSA running around.

The hospital I delivered at gave me no problems for refusing. I did a Hibiclens rinse at home before I left for the hospital (which is protocol in Europe, by the way...the US is the only one that does the antibiotics). My midwife told me they needed to do two doses and would need time in between doses, so she recommended getting to the hospital as late as possible so the abx wouldn't even have time to work so they wouldn't be pushy about it. I didn't go to the hospital until I was maybe 5cm (I checked myself so can't be sure, but that's what it felt like).

[aggie03]

I delivered in the UK and was pretty much hounded into antibiotics even though it was "my choice"
I wanted a homebirth so my choice was an IM injection of 6cc (double Ouch!) durning labor, or coming in at early labor to the hospital to start an IV and then go home...which is what I was trying to avoid.
All in all Id rather not have it at all, but having an iv at a hospital birth is to me guaranteeing drugs since you cant move so freely or get comfortable.

[enigo]

I had tested + when I was preg with my son. The thought of antibiotics makes me ill. Anyway my midwife mentioned that unless your water breaks early or the baby has some other issues it isn't a big deal. My son was fine.
Here it is 3 years later and I happened to have some tests recently and I tested neg for strep B.

[AlexisT]

Keep in mind that if you decline the abx, the hospital may insist on taking the baby to the nursery for observation, or other procedures to prevent GBS sepsis. IV for me or having a newborn poked? I know what i'd pick. Try to find out what happens if you don't get the abx.

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by AlexisT

Keep in mind that if you decline the abx, the hospital may insist on taking the baby to the nursery for observation, or other procedures to prevent GBS sepsis. IV for me or having a newborn poked? I know what i'd pick. Try to find out what happens if you don't get the abx.

Pretty much this....you really aren't going to have a good choice. If I were to have tested positive for my homebirth, I would have done the hibiclens rinse every 6 hours during labor.

[emnic77]

Originally Posted by AlexisT

Keep in mind that if you decline the abx, the hospital may insist on taking the baby to the nursery for observation, or other procedures to prevent GBS sepsis. IV for me or having a newborn poked? I know what i'd pick. Try to find out what happens if you don't get the abx.

It's not so much the "IV for me" thing that was my main reason for refusing the antibiotics, it was all about me NOT being okay with my newborn receiving a megadose of strong antibiotics as he was being born. I was much more comfortable with him having a blood test than I was having him megadosed with unnecessary drugs.

[AlexisT]

Yes, but they may give him the abx instead. That's what the OP needs to find out. I've heard (on MDC, anyway) of GBS protocols where babies of untreated GBS+ mothers were given prophylactic antibiotics. I don't know how to calculate the dosages, but he might get less if I'm the one getting them.

Once she knows exactly what their GBS protocol is, she can make a decision. But it's hard to decide what's worse when you're not even sure what's behind door #2.

[flapjack]

Vaginal swab or urine sample? That makes a difference to your risk.

[AnnieNimIty]

My sister was positive for Group B Strep. She let them attach the IV and the antibiotics, then went to the bathroom and detached the antibiotics and drained it down the sink. She said she dealt with it that way because of hospital protocol. Not that I am recommending it necessarily, but that is one way one person dealt with it.

[thefreckledmama]

Originally Posted by ObliviousAnnette

My sister was positive for Group B Strep. She let them attach the IV and the antibiotics, then went to the bathroom and detached the antibiotics and drained it down the sink. She said she dealt with it that way because of hospital protocol. Not that I am recommending it necessarily, but that is one way one person dealt with it.

That's one way to deal with the antibiotics issue-at least that way the sometimes mandatory 48hr stay, and all the bloodwork on the baby might be avoided.