[Furfeathersfleec...]

I am almost 38 weeks pregnant and just got a call from ostetrician's office to say that I am positive for sprep b.

All I know this means that I need to have antibiotics during labour. I have a few questions:

- How are the antibiotics administered?
- If I need a canular for them, does this mean ill need to be hooked up to the machine the whole time? I want an active labour and hate the thought of being on the iv machine.
- What is the risk to the baby if I do get the antibiotics?
- Is there any good reason to refuse the antibiotics?

Any other info would be great.

Thanks

[ingrid74]

Can't help too much but what I can tell you:

Im also strep b and will have the same should I go in to labour before planned c-section.
Antibiotics go into an IV line in your arm. I would guess that would mean a little bit of limited movement but one would think you should be able to have a portable IV line to wheel around.
As for risks to baby....Bubs can catch Strep B through the vagina on delivery and it is potentially fatal to baby. There is at least one other regular on EB that unfortunately lost her baby to Strep B. On that basis alone I would think there is no good reason to refuse the antibiotics.

[Red Cabbage]

I was positive for Strep B for the birth of my 3yo, I was also induced so limited to the bed anyway and didn't notice the extra line.

I was negative for my last birth, so didn't have the line, but had a very active birth, I don't think an extra line would have changed anything.

Good luck.

[MrsWright]

If you have the time/inclination you might want to see if you can get hold of a copy of "Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering" which has a whole section on Strep B. I read it the other day - but can't remember what it said, sorry! Had a lot of research included about risks to mother and baby.

[bigglet]

I was positive for Strep B for 2 of my births - they just gave me antibiotics through a needle or drip. It was no problem - I was still able to move around and was quite active during labour.

An EB parent lost their baby by contracting Strep B and I always feel for them and think about it whenever someone asks about it. Because of this I wouldn't refuse the antibiotics.

[Chubbles]

My DS who is 9weeks today got Group B Strep from me. He went from being a happy, healthy baby to a very sick baby very, very quickly. My labour was quick. My waters broke only 5 minutes before he was born so there was no time for me to get antibiotics. After he was born I was told there was no chance of him getting sick because the birth was so quick. Usually it is risky for the baby if you have prolonged rupture of membranes, which I did not have.
Unfortunately we were very unlucky and he did get sick. He ended up in Special care and I came home without my baby

He is fine now because the hospital staff diagnosed him so quickly. He got antibiotics as soon as they realised he was sick and he has now made a full recovery.

I would never refuse antibiotics if it could sop my baby from getting sick and potentially dying.

[babybrain]

It is administered through a drip and one dose goes for about 20 minutes. Generally they would put it in as soon as you are in labour.

I was positive with both my boys and it did not get in the way of an active labour at all. Also I have a reaction to penicillin, so I got a different antibiotic. I think the penicillin one is even quicker.

[Furfeathersfleec...]

Wow very scary to hear that babies can die from this Chubbles, Im sorry this happened to your litle boy, but relieved to hear he is recovering well.

Thanks for the info, I certainly wont be refusing antibiotics, and hopefully the iv wont be too cumbersome and they can unhook me between doses of AB.

Thanks again

[tinkster23]

You should only need one 30 min dose every 6 hours or so, so its not going to inhibit your movement too much

You should be able to unhook inbetween.

The risk to the baby is if you refuse them, and no, there is no good reason not to have them

[wallywonda]

Iv had it with both my babies. with ds i was induced so got it once that happened and then every 6hours. So got the shot 3 times I was still able to move around the room, just hooked up made it hard with labour. With dd, was induced again, so got the shot only once as she came out 2hrs later. I didnt have anything hooked up to me so was alot easier this time. They do look out for signs once the baby is born, also