What is gbs bacteria

This means that GBS can pass from a pregnant woman to her fetus during labor. This is rare and happens to 1 or 2 babies out of when the mother does not receive treatment with antibiotics during labor. The chance of a newborn getting sick is much lower when the mother receives treatment. Even though it is rare for a baby to get GBS, it can be very serious when it happens. Babies who get GBS may have early-onset or late-onset disease.

With early-onset disease, a baby typically gets sick within 12 to 48 hours after birth or up to the first 7 days. Early-onset disease can cause severe problems, such as. With late-onset disease, a baby gets sick between a week to a few months after birth. The disease is usually caused by contact with the mother after delivery if she is infected. But it can come from other sources too, such as contact with other people who have GBS.

Late-onset disease also is serious and can cause meningitis. In newborns, the signs and symptoms of meningitis can be hard to spot. Yes, pregnant women are screened for GBS as part of routine prenatal care. The test for GBS is called a culture. It is now done between 36 and 38 weeks of pregnancy. In this test, a swab is used to take a sample from the vagina and rectum.

If the results show that GBS is present, most women will receive antibiotics through an intravenous IV line once labor has started. This is done to help protect the fetus from being infected. The best time for treatment is during labor. Penicillin is the antibiotic that is most often given to prevent early-onset disease in newborns. While treatment with antibiotics during labor can help prevent early-onset GBS disease in a baby, this treatment does not prevent late-onset disease.

If you are allergic to penicillin, tell your health care professional before you are tested for GBS. If you have previously had a baby with GBS, your maternity team will either monitor the health of your newborn baby closely for at least 12 hours after birth, or treat them with antibiotics until blood tests confirm whether or not GBS is present. Late-onset GBS infection develops 7 or more days after a baby is born. This is not usually associated with pregnancy.

The baby probably became infected after the birth. For example, they may have caught the infection from someone else. Breastfeeding does not increase the risk of GBS infection and will protect your baby against other infections. Read the answers to more questions about pregnancy.

Page last reviewed: 19 September Next review due: 19 September Home Common health questions Pregnancy Back to Pregnancy. If you have a uterine infection, your provider can give you antibiotics, and the infection usually goes away in a few days. Without treatment, infection during pregnancy may increase your chances of:.

A UTI can cause fever or pain and burning when you urinate. If you have a UTI, you may find out about it from a urine test during one of your prenatal visits.

You also get antibiotics through an IV during labor and birth, because you may have high levels of GBS in your body. But researchers are making and testing vaccines to prevent GBS infection in mothers and their babies. Get expert tips and resources from March of Dimes and CDC to increase your chance of having a healthy, fully-term pregnancy and baby. Sign up for our emails to receive great health information and join us in the fight for the health of moms and babies.

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In This Topic. How do you get GBS? How do you know if you have GBS? How can you protect your baby from GBS? If you have GBS, what are the chances that you can pass it to your baby?