Picante,

I tested positive for GBS after a routine swab for thrush at 24 weeks. I am still planning a homebirth with the following provisos:-

If I go into labour before 38 weeks I will have IV ABs

If my waters break and no baby for 12+ hours I will have IV ABs

If I have a fever in labour I will have IV ABs

If baby shows any signs of GBS infection post birth I will take baby to have IV ABs (or what ever is recommended)

I am currently 30 weeks with my 3rd pg and I will be retesting privately at 37 weeks. Prior to the test I will be doing the raw garlic up hoo-ha thing and also using Hibi-Scrub as an external wash. Hibi-Scrub is an antimicrobial preparation for pre-operative surgical hand disinfection, antiseptic handwashing on the ward and pre-operative skin antisepsis for patients undergoing elective surgery. You can put it on any part of your body except meninges (membrane of nerves), brain, middle ear, body cavities and eyes. You can buy a huge bottle of it in Boots for about £7.

My midwife is happy with the plan and is still fine with hb going ahead (even though I am epileptic and had to fight tooth and nail to get a hb with my 2nd DD!).

I, too, am wary about the side effects of the IV ABs - so far I have seen stats of 1 in 100,000 chance of death due to anaphlaxysis, 1 in 5000 chance of permanent kidney damage, risk of baby being attacked by opportunistic infections as ABs have knocked out natural resistance and no exposure to natural vaginal flora which populates the gut of the baby.

As this is my 3rd baby I wouldn't want to place myself at risk for a maybe as I have DD1, DD2 and DH to think about not just baby. If it was my first baby I'm sure I would be a bit more cautious and just go in anyway but as I have had one very interventionist hospital birth I am keen to avoid being put in the sausage machine again .

Racmac, that is interesting that the hospital policies differ so much across the country. This is something I honestly fail to understand.

MollieO, again, when I was diagnosed with it, the doctor who called me with the result was really laid back and said: Oh, it's nothing, you only need atb in labour... And the midwife's reaction was quite similar until I explained that this completely changes my plans for birth, and was extremely upset about the whole thing. Maybe the professionals themselves don't have a united approach and sometimes even deeper understanding of it? I don't know.

Zuzi, yes PROM because of GBS.

Obviously had no personal experience of GBS before I had ds and it was a steep learning curve. I did know someone (not well) who lost their baby to GBS 2 hours after being born perfectly healthy. Not widely spoken about but fortunately when I found out that I was a GBS carrier I was able to have a look at the website and understand what GBS was. Never ever thought that anything would happen to ds as a result of me being a GBS carrier. Didn't even think much about having ds early. Only when I saw him in SCBU (they whisked him away immediately he was born) and was told how poorly he was and then when he was 6 days old being told he was likely to die, made me understand how deadly GBS could be.

Picante, true for the stage you're at now. Ds was prem because of GBS.

I had strep B in my first pg - i was given antibiotics in labour as precaution.

2nd pg - they didnt even test - Hospital policy had changed and they didnt give antibiotics for Strep B

I had 2 hbs and it was even mentioned thrid time.

Sorry zuzi didn't reply - midwife would prefer me to be in hospital but will respect my decision to have a homebirth. As you say no-one can make you do anything.

Mollie I'm so sorry for your experience but your baby was premature which does put you in the high risk category for the baby being affected by GBS. I'm past the point of that but obviously my baby was premature or I was high risk in any other way then I would not hesitate to have the abs.

Ignorance is indeed bliss - for almost every pregnant woman who has no clue about group b strep yet who is a carrier. At least I know I am positive and taking measures to become negative and will also be very clued up when baby is born wrt observing her and knowing the symptoms.

Mollie, it is very sad to read what you've been through. It exactly confirms my impressions - if you've had an experience or you know someone who had, there is no discussion about what to do. To be honest, after talking to two ladies whose babies were sick and the lady who works at the SCBU, I decided for hospital.

Did PROM link to strep b in your case? I know it can that's why I'm asking.

I think there is no general test because the proper test costs £10 or more and no guarantee of not getting a false negative. As someone who did test positive, had PROM, prem at 33 weeks and very nearly died (was told to call family to come and say goodbye to ds) I am surprised at how laid back everyone is on this thread. I suppose though if you haven't been through it then ignorance is bliss to some degree.

A cannula was the least of my worries. Ds having a lumber puncture and then being on a ventilator was far more upsetting.

I don't know. It is very very difficult. Just the idea of their tiny body pumped full of atb when their immunity is so vulnerable makes me cringe. Not mentioning the cannula in their tiny hand. On the other hand, the risk of GBS (which is statistically very small), I really find it hard to decide.

What makes me quite bewildered is the fact that majority of carriers are being found out completely coincidentally when tested for something else. Once + though, the system is very rigid. However, if so serious, why not test everyone?