Treating Group B Strep

To test for Group B strep, your healthcare provider takes swabs from your vagina and anus during a pelvic exam.

Testing and treatment of group B strep during your pregnancy can help prevent your baby from becoming infected during delivery. If complications develop, specialized treatments may be needed. Early treatment gives the best chance of a positive outcome.

Testing

Testing for the bacteria is a painless process. Early in your pregnancy your urine will be tested for GBS.  If your urine comes back positive for GBS and you have other symptoms of a urinary tract infection such as fever or burning on urination, you may be treated with oral antibiotics. 

If your urine test does not come back positive for Group B, you will have a swab test during one of your prenatal visits between weeks 35 and 37. For the test, your healthcare provider uses cotton swabs to take samples from your vagina and anus. These samples are sent to the lab. Your healthcare provider should receive your test results about 2 days later. Results show whether you have group B strep.

Treatment

If you test positive for group B strep, whether in your urine or via the swab test, you will be treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics after your labor begins. You may also be treated if you have not been tested but you have risk factors as determined by your healthcare provider.

Treatment with IV antibiotics should not affect the course of your labor. After the birth, your baby will be observed in the hospital for 24 hours to 48 hours and may have his or her blood tested. This is to make sure that he or she has not been infected.

Please note that if you deliver via cesarean (surgical delivery) and your fluid/water was broken prior to delivery (ruptured membranes), your newborn can still get infected.  Treatment will still be necessary with IV antibiotics.