If Your Baby Is/Has Been Infected with GBS
We are very sorry your baby has developed a serious infection caused by group B streptococcus (GBS). No words can make this easier for you or your family.You probably have lots of questions. We’ll try to answer many of them and tell you how most GBS infection in newborn babies can be stopped. You will, of course, need to talk to your medical professionals about your own circumstances. This website has been put together so you can benefit from the knowledge and experience of our medical experts and of other families (Including myself) who have had a baby infected with GBS. However, this is in no way a substitute for discussions with your doctors.
Most babies make a full recovery from their GBS infection, although sadly up to 100 babies each year will die as a result of their GBS infection.
Unfortunately, a small numbers of babies who recover from GBS infection, and up to a third of the survivors of GBS meningitis, will be left with long-term mental or physical handicaps and in one out of every 8 of these babies, the handicap is severe. Brain damage can occur for two reasons.
One is meningitis, and the other is in response to a number of stimuli including lack of oxygen and infection. This is much more common in preterm than full-term babies and can occur indirectly as a result of any infection, including GBS.
There is no evidence that GBS infection leaves a legacy of extra vulnerability to other illnesses, such as coughs, colds, allergies, colic, etc but there is not a lot of information available on this.
If you have any concerns or questions about your baby’s medical care or expected long-term outcome, please ask the doctors or nurses caring for your baby.
Reports suggest that a baby who has recovered from one episode of GBS infection (early or late-onset) is at slightly increased risk of developing further GBS infection. Penicillin given orally once or twice a day for the first 3 months of life as preventative medicine may be beneficial in these circumstances. In our medical panel’s view, this may prevent reinfection with GBS, although no medical research is available to support this view.
If a baby has recovered from a GBS infection, then the GBS infection is not a factor in the decision to immunise the child. This is also true for subsequent children.
Our medical advisory panel strongly recommends that you should be encouraged to breastfeed your baby. Although there have been isolated cases describing GBS infection possibly related to breast milk contamination, the advantages of breast feeding will, in our medical advisory panel's opinion, greatly outweigh the remote risk of transmitting GBS through breast feeding.
High hygiene standards need to be maintained for all breastfeeding mothers, with the hands and nipple areas being kept clean.
The intravenous antibiotics recommended above for pregnant women during labour through to delivery to protect her unborn baby from GBS infection are safe for breastfeeding mothers, although you should make sure your medical professionals know you intend to breastfeed your baby.
If you develop mastitis or a breast abscess, you should seek medical advice regarding breast-feeding.
It may seem insensitive to raise the issue of a future pregnancy but it is vital you know that a future baby may be at risk from GBS infection – and that effective prevention strategies exist. We want to give you the information you need about GBS, and confidence for the future. This section has been put together so you can benefit from the knowledge and experience of our medical experts and the experiences of other parents.
Carrying GBS is normal and very common, and GBS infection in babies is, thankfully, relatively uncommon. Thousands and thousands of healthy babies are born every year to women who carry GBS. The fact that your baby developed GBS infection does not mean a future baby will too, although it does mean that any babies you have in the future have an increased risk of developing GBS infection. The risk of a future baby also developing GBS infection is approximately a 1 in 100 (a 1%) chance if no preventative action is taken. Our medical advisory panel therefore strongly recommends mothers who have previously had a baby who had serious GBS infection should be given intravenous antibiotics from the onset of labour or waters breaking until delivery for any subsequent children.
Given what happened to your baby, you’re bound to want to know how to prevent GBS affecting a future baby. However, there really is nothing that can be done during pregnancy that has been proven to prevent GBS infection in babies until labour starts or membranes rupture. Once this happens, having intravenous antibiotics at 4 hourly intervals throughout labour until your baby is born (and ideally for at least 4 hours before birth) will stop most GBS infection developing in newborn babies.
If given antibiotics in accordance with our medical advisory panel’s recommendations, we estimate that the risk for a baby born to a woman who has previously had a baby infected with GBS (and who has no other clinical risk factors) reduces from around a 1 in every 100 chance of developing GBS infection to less than 1 in 2,000. That’s less than the risk for a woman not known to carry GBS!
For Women Who Are Pregnant and Carry GBS
Melanie Tisma melanietisma@bigpond.com
 |
Group B Strep
Working Towards Informing, Preventing and Suporting Women and Their Babies. Everywhere.
|
