How do you get strep B during pregnancy?

Like many bacteria, GBS may be passed from one person to another through skin-to-skin contact, for example, hand contact, kissing, close physical contact, etc. As GBS is often found in the vagina and rectum of colonised women, it can be passed through sexual contact.

What does it mean if you test positive for strep B while pregnant?

If you test positive for group B strep, it doesn’t mean that you’re ill or that your baby will be affected. It simply means you need treatment to prevent an infection in your baby. Talk with your health care provider about how you’ll incorporate your group B strep treatment into your labor plan.

What happens if you have strep B while pregnant?

But there’s a small risk that GBS can pass to the baby during childbirth. Sometimes GBS infection in newborn babies can cause serious complications that can be life threatening, but this is not common. Extremely rarely, GBS infection during pregnancy can also cause miscarriage, early (premature) labour or stillbirth.

What causes Strep B in pregnancy?

What causes group B strep? The group B strep bacteria come and go naturally in people’s bodies. If a pregnant woman has the bacteria in her body, she can pass it to her baby during labor and delivery. A group B strep infection happens when a baby is exposed to the bacteria while it’s being born.

Does GBS go away after pregnancy?

Most babies who are treated for GBS do fine. But even with treatment, about 1 in 20 babies (5 percent) who have GBS die. Premature babies are more likely to die from GBS than full-term babies (born at 39 to 41 weeks of pregnancy). GBS infection may lead to health problems later in life.

Does group B strep go away after pregnancy?

Most babies who are treated for GBS do fine. But even with treatment, about 1 in 20 babies (5 percent) who have GBS die. Premature babies are more likely to die from GBS than full-term babies (born at 39 to 41 weeks of pregnancy).

Can I get rid of group B strep while pregnant?

If your results from the group B strep test come back positive, your pregnancy is labeled “GBS positive.” Treatment will not be prescribed during pregnancy to get rid of group B strep.

Can Strep B go away?

Early recognition and treatment is important to cure GBS infection in adults. High doses of antibiotics such as penicillin should be administered and the full course taken. Most GBS infection can be treated successfully, although some people will require all the expertise of intensive care facilities.