Streptococcus in pregnancy: why the test must be done even without symptoms
After the 35th week of waiting, when the birth approaches, the gynecologist will prescribe a vaginal swab a few weeks before labor to check for the presence of streptococcus. With this exam you can make another gesture of care and attention towards your baby who is about to come into the world. You know, cuddles are never enough!
What is group B streptococcus
Hemolytic streptococcus B is a microorganism present in the vagina usually in a harmless and asymptomatic way. In pregnancy, however, it is necessary to check the type of streptococcus and whether it is present in the birth canal at the time of birth because in this case the bacterium could infect the baby.
Type A (sga) and group B (gbs) streptococcus are usually distinguished, the two types of bacterium are similar but have different infections. The SGA is not present in the bacterial flora. Group A streptococcus is mainly caused by pharyngotonsillitis and even serious infections of the skin and increased wounds. Type B, (gbs), on the other hand, is present in adult men and women, in the throat and in the vaginal and gastrointestinal tract. Agalactiae streptococcus, also called beta-hemolytic streptococcus of group B, is very common among women: it is found both in the intestine among the bacterial flora and in the vaginal mucosa and does not itch or burn, so it cannot be confused with a typical vaginal infections such as candida. At least 30% of pregnant women have it! An alarm light comes on during pregnancy: Streptococcus agalactiae can be transmitted to the fetus at birth or in the event of an early rupture of the membrane.
In any case, the infection cannot cross the placenta so in normal conditions while waiting, the fetus cannot be infected.
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Streptococcal infection in pregnancy
During pregnancy, if a streptococcal agalactiae infection occurs, urinary tract infections and amnionitis are common symptoms, inflammation that can also be very serious for the fetus.If the mother's immune system does its duty, streptococcus is kept under control by the body but can have serious effects on the newborn. Even a healthy woman, who does not have any type of pathology, can transmit this bacterium to the child during the delivery. And since newborn babies do not have sufficient and complete immune defenses, the consequences of such an infection can also be very serious, such as septicemia, pneumonia and meningitis. Neonatal infection can have early onset, if it appears immediately after birth, or late onset if it occurs two or three months after delivery.
That's why strep is one of those things to pay close attention to in pregnancy!
Prevention: take the test
Streptococcal infections in newborns can be really serious and preventing them is essential. Many gynecologists recommend at the 35th week to do some tests to assess their presence and danger: these are very simple and non-invasive tests, a vaginal swab, a rectal swab and a urine culture. If the result is positive, the doctor will opt for antibiotic therapy. Usually a therapy in vein during labor with ampicillin or penicillin is also chosen to reduce the transmission of the bacterium during delivery and avoid the possibility of infections for the newborn. Antibiotics are very useful if taken in the immediate vicinity of childbirth, taken too early they would be useless because streptococci would have the opportunity to reproduce and return to those environments. Without therapy, in the presence of the streptococcus bacterium, the possibility of transmission occurs in 70% of cases, although only 2% of cases then develop the infection contracted during childbirth. In short, the test is therefore essential to first evaluate the most appropriate therapy and to make the mother and child safe.
One of the many ways you have to take care of yourself during the weeks of pregnancy, both from the point of view of health and from that of beauty!
Belly beautiful!
What does the test consist of
The gynecologist prescribes a vaginal swab and a rectal swab, along with a simple urine analysis during the hours of the day. The test to assess the presence of streptococcus in the urine, intestines and vagina is usually done between the 35th and 37th week in the case of pre-term birth or early rupture of the membranes. The swab is a sampling of a small amount of vaginal and rectal secretion: it is absolutely painless and not invasive at all.
Simple samples are taken from the women and urine is collected at any time of the day. The test does not require any preparation: it is an effective screening protocol to assess the need for antibiotic treatment for a mother or child. There are currently no vaccines to prevent all possible group B streptococcal infections (gbs), testing and prevention remain the most effective tool to protect the health of mothers and children.
Checks for the baby
In the case of a streptococcal positive mother, despite the administration of antibiotic therapy during the birth, the child is monitored for 72 hours to rule out the presence of any infection and subjected to several swabs during the monitoring period. If the newborn has other risk factors, the gynecologist often chooses to administer the same antibiotic drugs to the child to lower the risk threshold to reduce the possibility of infections and ensure the well-being of the newborn.
If you are pregnant and you have any doubts or fears regarding your baby's health, always ask your gynecologist for advice and never rely on "hearsay" or online do-it-yourself. In the vast majority of cases, hemolytic streptococcus does not create any problems: only 25% of pregnant women need to be treated with an antibiotic and this only to avoid complications, not frequent but still serious and possible, to the fetus during childbirth.
