What is Group B Streptococcus (Beta Strep)?

Group B streptococcus, also called beta strep or GBS, is a very common type of bacteria. About 10–30% of pregnant women carry GBS, most often in the vagina or rectum. GBS is different from the bacteria that cause strep throat.

Most healthy adults who carry GBS do not have symptoms or health problems. In some cases, GBS can cause infections in adults, such as infections of the uterus, bladder, kidneys, or rarely the brain (meningitis). These infections are usually not serious and can be treated with antibiotics.

However, if GBS is not treated during pregnancy or labor, it can be very dangerous for a newborn. Babies exposed to untreated GBS can become seriously ill and, in rare cases, may die.

How Does GBS Occur?

Both women and men can carry GBS. The bacteria commonly live in the mouth, bowel, bladder, vagina, and rectum. A pregnant woman who carries GBS can pass the bacteria to her baby during labor or delivery.

What Are The Symptoms of GBS?

Most pregnant women with GBS do not have symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include:

• Fever over 100°F during labor
• Painful, bloody, frequent, or urgent urination.

How Is GBS Diagnosed?

GBS is diagnosed by testing urine or by swabbing the cervix, vagina, or rectum. These samples are sent to a lab and grown in a culture.

• A positive test means GBS bacteria were found.

• A negative test means GBS bacteria were not found.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all pregnant women be tested for GBS between 35 and 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Testing may also be done earlier if you experience:

• Premature rupture of membranes

• Fever during labor

• Symptoms of a urinary tract infection

A rapid GBS test may be performed when you arrive at the hospital for delivery, with results available in 2–3 hours. However, this test is less accurate than a culture and is not commonly used earlier in pregnancy.

How is GBS Treated? 


If you test positive for GBS, treatment usually begins during labor, not earlier in pregnancy. You will receive intravenous (IV) antibiotics while in labor. Treating GBS earlier in pregnancy is usually avoided because the bacteria can return before delivery.

One exception is when GBS causes a bladder infection during pregnancy. In this case, your health care provider will prescribe oral antibiotics to treat the infection.

You may still receive antibiotics during labor even if your GBS test is negative if you have risk factors for infection, including:

• Preterm labor (before 37 weeks)

• Premature rupture of membranes

• Membranes ruptured for more than 18 hours

• A previous baby with GBS infection

• Fever higher than 100.4°F (38°C) during labor

IV antibiotics during labor are highly effective, and serious GBS infections in newborns are rare when this treatment is given.

If a newborn shows signs of GBS infection, the baby will be treated with IV antibiotics and closely monitored, often in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

How Long Do the Effects Last? 


Women who carry GBS usually do not experience long-term health effects. The primary concern is the risk to the newborn.

GBS infection in babies can affect the blood, lungs, brain, or spinal cord. In severe cases, it may lead to long-term complications such as hearing loss, vision problems, or learning disabilities. In rare cases, GBS infection can be fatal.


How Can I Help Prevent GBS Infection in My Baby?

Getting tested for GBS during pregnancy and receiving antibiotics during labor, if needed, greatly reduces the risk of passing the infection to your baby.

 

For more information, refer to: www.acog.org

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