Group B Strep and Pregnancy
Group B Strep is a bacterial infection naturally found in the digestive and reproductive tracts of both men and women. It is the leading cause of meningitis and sepsis in newborns. About 1 in 4 pregnant women test positive for GBS and has the possibility of passing GBS to her baby before or during delivery. While not all babies whose moms have GBS will be affected, it can cause babies to be miscarried, born prematurely, become quite ill or have lifelong handicaps.
July is Step B Awareness Month. At Women’s Health Center, a routine part of testing during pregnancy includes Step B testing during a patient’s initial OB lab panel. Patients are also screened during the 36th week of pregnancy. If a woman is found to be positive, steps can be taken during labor to prevent GBS from being passed on to her baby.
For more information about Group B Strep and pregnancy, click on this link
https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Group-B-Strep-and-Pregnancy
