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 13,000 babies in the United States. Not every baby who is born to a mother who tests positive for GBS will become ill. Although GBS is rare in pregnant women, the outcome can be severe and therefore some physicians include testing as a routine part of prenatal care.
This is a slide of Group B Strep infection under the microscope. The test for GBS is
a vaginal swab that is performed at 35-37 weeks of gestation.
Signs and Symptoms of Group B Strep Infection in labor include:
- Fever of 100 degrees or more
- Fetal Tachycardia (baby's heart rate over 170 bpm)
- Rupture of membranes prior to 37 weeks gestation
Note: These symptoms present at a birth center are reason to transfer to the hospital for antibiotic treatment for the safety of the baby.
Group B Strep
