Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Treatment for Group B Strep during Labor | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
At 36 weeks into my pregnancy I tested positive for group B strep. I know that as long as I receive antibiotics for at least four hours during labor that the baby should be fine. What if my labor is shorter than four hours?— Linus2000 in New York | | | ANSWER |
December 4, 2001 | | | Dear Linus,
This is a great question, and one that actually comes up with some frequency.
Getting enough antibiotics into a group B strep positive woman who has short labors can be a challenge. I usually recommend to my patients with a history of short labors that they come in at the first sign of labor this time around. I tell them that if their water breaks, to come right in, without waiting for labor. And if they think they are going into labor, not to wait until things get intense to head for the hospital. There isn't really another option, since a course of oral antibiotics before labor isn't effective at preventing transmission of group B strep.
Keep in mind, though, that it is only fairly recently that doctors started testing and treating all women for strep, and before that time, only a rare full term newborn got ill from this bacterium. So my general rule is--give it your best shot, but don't worry too much if you aren't able to get four hours of antibiotics. The baby is likely to do fine, and the pediatricians can observe him or her for signs of infection during the normal newborn care.
So take care, and congratulations on your newborn-to-be!— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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