Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria found in digestive and urinary tracts of around one-third of all pregnant women.
One of St. Mary's primary focus areas is women's and children's health. In this series of blogs, Dr. Charles F. Potter, a board-certified neonatologist-perinatal medicine specialist who provides care to infants at St. Mary's, answers questions about conditions that can affect babies (and moms in some cases) and discusses going home after delivery. We hope you find this series educational and invite you to learn more about delivering at St. Mary's.
What is Group B Strep?
Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria found in digestive and urinary tracts of around one-third of all pregnant women. It can be passed from the genital area to an infant during birth, occasionally causing severe illness such as sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. Risk for infection in the baby increases with several factors, including GBS infection during pregnancy, prematurity, maternal fever, prolonged rupture of membranes, previous infant with GBS infection, and African/Hispanic ethnicity.
What are the symptoms of GBS infection in the baby?
Infection usually starts within 24 hours of birth and almost always by 48 hours, but it can occur later. Signs of infection can include breathing fast, especially with difficulty or grunting, or with prolonged pauses. Infants can act extremely tired or lethargic, look pale or blue, and have abnormal movements called seizures.
How is GBS diagnosed and treated?
GBS is diagnosed in an infant by testing the blood and possibly the spinal fluid. GBS is extremely susceptible to antibiotics and the infant normally has a good prognosis, especially if treated early.
Can GBS in newborns be prevented?
While not eliminated, GBS infection in newborns is dramatically reduced by testing moms for the presence of GBS in the genital area late in pregnancy and, if found, administering antibiotics during labor. Since this testing is not perfect, moms may receive antibiotics if their obstetrician believes they are at risk for GBS infection during labor. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, some babies will still get GBS, even after going home. Ongoing research is aimed at preventing any GBS infection.
Going forward?
In general, parents should talk to their healthcare provider to have their questions answered so that, as a team, the infant receives the best care possible.
What is our goal?
First and foremost, we want to protect the health of mother and baby! We strive to make your birth experience at St. Mary’s Hospital as joyful as possible as a new life is brought into your family. We strive to include you in our team, which is dedicated to providing unsurpassed medical treatment with compassionate and individualized care.
Learn more about St. Mary’s Family Birth Center in Athens
About Charles Potter, MD
Dr. Charles F. Potter is a board-certified neonatologist-perinatal medicine specialist, a physician who specializes in the care of infants while they are in the hospital. He received his medical education from the Medical College of Wisconsin, completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan Hospitals, and completed his specialty fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.