So today I got my results for the group b strep culture - or "GBS" as they call it. Unfortunately, I tested positive. I am pretty disappointed about this because it means that I have to have an IV with antibiotics as soon as I go into labor. This really restricts my movement and it also bums me out because antibiotics tend to make me feel sick. I have been feeling badly and wondering "why me? Why do I have this?" So I checked out the CDC website about it and there is really no rhyme or reason to it. Since I'm not sick I guess I'm just a carrier - 25% of women test positive in week 35 - 37 of pregnancy. I have a couple of friends who had it and had to have the antibiotics and things turned out okay for them. But still, sigh. I was really hoping not to have this.
GBS can be a serious disease for newborns:
Sepsis, pneumonia (infection in the lungs), and meningitis (infection of the fluid and lining around the brain) are the most common problems.
These are the chances of them getting it:
A pregnant woman who is a group B strep carrier (tested positive) at full-term delivery who gets antibiotics can feel confident knowing that she has only a 1 in 4000 chance of delivering a baby with group B strep disease. If a pregnant woman who is a group B strep carrier does not get antibiotics at the time of delivery, her baby has a 1 in 200 chance of developing group B strep disease. This means that those infants whose mothers are group B strep carriers and do not get antibiotics have over 20 times the risk of developing disease than those who do receive treatment.
So of course I am going to do the antibiotics. There is never a question for me in labor if there is something that is good for Baby C that I'm going to do it. Still this whole thing is just so depressing for me for some reason. I guess since all our other tests have had such great results I just feel like a failure with this one. I know there isn't anything I personally did to get this test result but it is just really getting to me.
In other news - my feet and ankles are really swollen. I have been wearing sandals to work mostly but today is "corporate dress" day because we are having visitors. So I crammed my tootsies into an old faithful pair of Clarks. They look like sausages bursting out of their casings.
Last night to ease the swelling I put bags of frozen peas on my ankles and that was helpful. I'll probably do that again tonight.
Well, I am trying not to let this GBS thing get me down but it really is a bummer.
:(
If it makes you feel any better, because my water broke before I had the GBS test, and because my water broke period, I had to have the IV. You should be able to still get out of bed to labor-you just take the IV with you. Though for me, getting out of bed hurt worse than staying in bed. At least until I got my epidural.
ReplyDeleteI did not have it with Gabe, but had it with Cristian. I can honestly say that Cristian's labor was so much easier. He was induced and he was 9 1/2 lbs! So don't sweat it. Luv- Katie
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the positive comments and support. I really appreciate it!
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