About the treatment

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria found in the genital tract of women. The bacteria itself is harmless.

If GBS is detected in your urine, there is a little risk that your baby might get infected with the bacteria during delivery. GBS in a newborn can cause a serious infection that in some cases can escalate quickly. GBS in newborns can be effectively treated with antibiotics.

What happens next

During pregnancy

You will need to be treated with antibiotics if you develop symptoms of bladder infection during your pregnancy and a urine sample shows a significant increase of GBS. The antiobiotics will be given to you in pill form.

Delivery

If GBS was detected in your urine during pregnancy, we will use a genital swab to test you once you arrive at the delivery ward. If the swab is positive, we will provide you with preventive antibiotic treatment intravenously.

If the swab is positive, and your water breaks but your contractions do not begin, then we recommend inducing delivery. There is an increased risk of your baby developing an infection if too much time passes between the water breaking and the baby is delivered.

If the swab is negative, then no special precautions will be taken during delivery.

Your baby will be under obersvation after birth if the swab is positive

We recommend that you and your baby stay at the hospital for up to 2 days after delivery so we can make sure you are both are doing well. In some cases, we will take blood samples from your baby to check for signs of infection.