Group B Strep: Mothers Be Aware

Mothers should know about Group B Strep – what it is, why it’s dangerous for babies, and, more importantly, what their OBs should be screening for during prenatal care.

It's natural for expectant mothers to carry bacteria in their vaginas and urinary tracts. Some of this bacteria is benign, howeever other type of bacteria, if passed on to the baby, can be very dangerous. One of these potentially harmful bacteria is known as Group B Strep, or GBS.

GBS is an infection that may be silent and not show any signs or symptoms, so it’s very important that doctors screen mothers during their pregnancy. The test involves a simple culture, and, if mothers have Group B Strep, they can be prescribed antibiotics to eliminate the infection. Because Group B strep may re-colonize the vaginal area, women with a GBS infection are typically given IV antibiotics during labor as well, in order to prevent the GBS infection from being passed on to the baby.

Unfortunately, if GBS is passed on to the baby, it can result in:

• Meningitis
• Sepsis
• Pneumonia

Babies who are suspected of having a GBS infection should be properly treated with antibiotics to control the infection. Babies with GBS infection may present the following signs or symptoms:

• Be unresponsive/floppy
• Fail to eat well
• Grunt or work hard to breathe
• Be irritable
• Have an abnormal body temperature
• Have abnormal heart or breathing rate

Complications from GBS are avoidable with antibiotics. About 1 in 10 babies with the infection die, with a significant additional portion having cerebral palsy or cognitive disability. Routine testing for GBS and appropriate treatment prevents GBS complications.

If you have questions, HIE Help Center can provide additional information and resources to get them answered.