Group B Strep During Pregnancy

Group B strep or GBS is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae which is commonly found in the intestine, vagina, rectal areas and throat. This bacterium is not supposed to be harmful, however, it can be the cause of many complications like sepsis infections, pneumonia and meningitis in the newborn baby, if it happens to infect a pregnant female. Taking appropriate care and diagnosing the disease on time is the prerequisite to avoid preterm delivery, and infections of amniotic fluid or uterus in the would-be mom. Group B strep pregnancy affects a large population group. So let's get into the details of this common bacterial infection that occurs during pregnancy.

Causes
Not all pregnant females suffer from this condition, however, if the mother has had a previous baby with the GBS disease, then there is high risk that the second child will be infected. Since GBS is associated with the vagina, it commonly results in urinary tract infections, which could lead to GBS in the baby as well. Many times, if the disease remains undiagnosed, the baby might die inside the womb due to a GBS carriage without the mother being aware of it. Also, high fever during labor, and rupture of membranes before approximately 18 hours from the delivery are some other reasons leading to GBS. If the mom-to-be happens to suffer from any chronic medical conditions like cancer or diabetes, then the risk of infections and complications increases. GBS can be transmitted by contact and hence can easily be passed from the infected mom's uterus to the baby.

Symptoms
Many times, females are carriers without showing any symptoms. Generally GBS infects the baby before or after delivery. Usually, the infection occurs in the first week and thus termed as early onset disease. However, many times the infection might appear from 1 week to 3 months leading to some symptoms which are mentioned below;

• fever
• breathing problem
• seizures
• limpness
• stiffness
• abnormalities of heart rate and blood pressure
• poor feeding
• fussiness
• uneasy feeling

Treatment
Diagnosis at the right time is very important in this case wherein a test needs to be carried out by taking the swab from the vaginal or rectal areas of the female and the result is obtained within a span of 24 hours. Also, you can be diagnosed with the group b strep pregnancy in urine sample as well. If tested positive, the doctor recommends antibiotic therapy, either orally or intravenous (in case of baby). If you are allergic to certain antibiotics then see to it that the treatment varies accordingly; your doctor will surely suggest you alternative antibiotics during pregnancy. Proper diagnosis reduces the chances of the baby getting infected and has helped many women to deal with this life-threatening condition. Apart from this, it's really important to undergo the routine tests and screening during the 9 months of your pregnancy to prevent such an infection to invade your body. This bacterium is the normal flora which is normally harmless but certain conditions can provoke it to cause the infection so maintaining a healthy lifestyle and hygiene is a prerequisite.

As I mentioned, Group B strep pregnancy is a fatal condition which might lead to death of the newborn. Vaccine treatment has not been developed as of now but could be a good treatment option in the near future according to the research going on. If you happen to be a carrier then don't get hyper and follow the appropriate treatment measures. Take care of yourself and your baby.

P.S: Group B strep is not to be confused with Group A strep throat and pregnancy which causes strep throat.