Comments on: Is it necessary to be induced for Group B strep?

By: Danielle

Danielle — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:27:46 +0000

I tested negative for GBS. In turn I was positive and my firstborn contracted it. He spent 7 days in the hospital and the Lord took care of him and he safely got home. I was induced because I was overdue. It is scary and depressing to have your first born child born with a problem. I did not know that you can have multiple test results. I tested negative and then he was posistive with it within 12 hours of birth. Did that Dr. test wrong? Is this some freak thing? I don’t know. I was induced and given IV antibiotics with my second and she was very healthy. I would rather be induced and know my baby will be healthy than to take a risk. I hardly ever felt pain during the second induction. It was a breeze. The first was horrible.

By: Kay

Kay — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:08:35 +0000

My doctor did recommend that I be induced and this is why. My last labor and delivery were three hours. My doctor is afraid that I will enter the hospital and deliver before enough of the antibiotics can be administered to prevent transmission of the GBS to the baby. A ridiculous number of infants who contract GBS die, somewhere in the 10-20% range of infants who contract it very shortly after birth. I have never wanted to be induced, and I went 12 days late on my last pregnancy without being induced. I don’t want a C-section-but I also don’t want to give birth without protecting my child from this potentially fatal complication. I trust my doctor completely, but it was also explained to me why my doctor wanted to go this route. I’ll be induced before my due date, once my cervix has started dilating-hopefully we can hold out to 39 weeks.

By: Jennifer S

Jennifer S — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:41:07 +0000

I know I’m a little late getting to this discussion, but…
I have Group B Strep and my doctor never even mentioned anything about having to induce.

However, my labor didn’t progress as quickly as she would have liked once my water broke, so they did talk me into pitocin to speed things along. In hindsight, I regret that decision. It is not fair to ask a woman who is exhausted and hungry if she wants to speed the process up. I had a birth plan that said no medical interventions except to save life and it was ignored.

My next birth will be with a midwife.

By: melissa

melissa — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:25:57 +0000

Thanks for the great post. I have been GBS+ with 3 of my 4 kids, one of whom did contract GBS. Although it is a serious condition, antibiotics are very effective (although not without possible negative effects also). I have to agree that the risks of induction (or an elective c-section) are greater than the risk of passing GBS to your baby during normal labor, with antibiotics.

My fourth baby was born at home after a 5 hour labor, in which my midwife administered 2 doses of antibiotics for my GBS. Although I did a rigorous homeopathic treatment to try to eradicate the GBS, I still tested positive at 38 weeks, so I received the antibiotics at the start of my labor and had a healthy, big baby boy! One thing that I believe contributed to a healthy outcome was that my midwife did NO vaginal exams during all my prenatal care, and only once during labor to check for full dilation when I was wanting to start pushing. Also, she didn’t artificially break my water but let it break spontaneously. Both these measures helped decrease the risks of infection.

Thanks again for the valuable, informative post!

By: Amelia

Amelia — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:50:12 +0000

Wow, McKenna! I am glad you made it through that!

Amy-it is nice when you have a health care provider that offers you informed consent! I am glad that all your births ended up positively!