Strep B

I received a call from my OB yesterday informing me that I have Strep B. No it's not strep throat but it is a bacteria. So here is just a little bit of the information I was able to find on the internet.

Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

Many healthy people carry group B strep bacteria in their bodies. Group B strep bacteria aren't sexually transmitted, and they're not spread through food or water. You may carry group B strep in your body for just a short period of time, they may come and go, or you may always have them.

Some individuals, such as older adults and those with chronic health conditions, can develop a more serious infection from group B strep. However, the reason this occurs in some people but not others isn't known.

Group B strep can also spread to a baby during a vaginal delivery if the baby is exposed to — or swallows — fluids containing group B strep.

From the AMERICAN PREGNANCY ASSOCIATION

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacterial infection that can be found in a pregnant woman’s vagina or rectum. This bacteria is normally found in the vagina and/or lower intestine of 15% to 40% of all healthy, adult women.

Those women who test positive for GBS are said to be colonized. A mother can pass GBS to her baby during delivery. GBS is responsible for affecting about 1 in every 2,000 babies in the United States. Not every baby who is born to a mother who tests positive for GBS will become ill.

What if I test positive for Group B Strep infection?

If you test positive for GBS this simply means that you are a carrier. Not every baby who is born to a mother who tests positive for GBS will become ill. Approximately one of every 100 to 200 babies whose mothers carry GBS will develop signs and symptoms of GBS disease. There are, however, symptoms that may indicate that you are at a higher risk of delivering a baby with GBS. These symptoms include:

• Labor or rupture of membrane before 37 weeks
• Rupture of membrane 18 hours or more before delivery
• Fever during labor
• A urinary tract infection as a result of GBS during your pregnancy
• A previous baby with GBS disease

In this case your physician will want to use antibiotics for prevention and protection.

According to the CDC, if you have tested positive and are not in the high risk category, then your chances of delivering a baby with GBS are:

• 1 in 200 if antibiotics are not given
• 1 in 4000 if antibiotics are given

Baby Quick

Well as most of you know Jon and I are expecting the first addition to our Quick family. We found out about a month ago and had our first appointment today. I am 9 weeks exactly and doing well.

I have had nausea here and there but no vomiting. I keep telling God that nausea I can handle and so far I think he thinks so too. I am very tired and hungry about every 2 hours or so but other than that no real crazy pregnancy stories yet.

We have started talking about names but have no conclusions or ideas even and are debating on whether or not to find out the gender. Jonathan wants to know really bad and I really want to wait. Luckily we have several weeks before a firm decision has to be made.

Today's appointment was pretty basic. We met with an OB nurse and she pretty much just went over our medical histories and gave us some basic information about what Riley has to offer for pregnant women. I am really excited because they do something called group prenatal care and it's where 8-10 women due around the same time get together and meet with a midwife, do mom and baby check-ups, have individual time with our health care providers, and the coolest part for me is that at the end there is a reunion where we all get together once our babies are born. I am going to learn more about it at my next appointment which is on March 29th.




We weren't sure if we were going to get to see the baby or hear the heartbeat today so we asked towards the end of the appointment. The nurse was very nice and took us back to the room where we got to see, that's right SEE, the heartbeat. What a good feeling to know our little one is beating away inside me. :)

SO here is our little one. Just the size of a peanut or a green olive. It is hard to believe that he/she is only about an inch but it is such a blessing to know our baby is doing well.