Streptococci during pregnancy

Screening for Group B Streptococcus is part of the individual health services during pregnancy. However, it is recommended for all expectant mothers, as B Streptococcus are the most common pathogens of neonatal infections. But where do Streptococci in pregnancy actually come from, and how can you prevent your newborn from becoming infected? We have the answers to these and other important questions about Streptococcus.

Where do streptococci come from during pregnancy?

That during your Pregnancy It is not unusual to be found to carry B-streptococci — because this is the case in about 5 to 30 percent of all pregnant women. Medical professionals even assume that B-streptococci can be found in the bodies of around one-third of all adults. This bacterial species naturally occurs in our bodies. Group B Streptococci – short GBS – settle in primarily in the anal area but can also enter the vagina through smear infection. For us adults, infection with B-streptococci is harmless. It progresses without symptoms, which is why it can only be detected through a test by a doctor. The situation is different for babies: For newborns, group B streptococcus can become quite dangerous and lead to serious illnesses.

How can the pathogen be transmitted to babies?

If you, as an expectant mother, carry Group B streptococcus in you, these can already transmitted to your baby in the womb . Once your amniotic sac breaks, the streptococci ascend into the amniotic fluid and are swallowed by your baby. In the child's body, they then migrate to the gastrointestinal tract and reach his lungs with his first breath. Here, they cause quite a commotion and pose a major challenge to your little one's immune system.

These risk factors increase the likelihood of an infection in the newborn :

• B-Streptococci are detected in the urine of the pregnant woman.

• The B streptococcus screening of the vagina and anus indicates an infection.

• During a severe streptococcal infection, the expectant mother develops a fever of at least 38°C during childbirth.

• In previous pregnancies, the pregnant woman has already infected a child.

• Up to 12 hours can pass between the water breaking and the birth.
  
  

How and when is the streptococcus test performed during pregnancy?

A B streptococcus screening is performed towards the end of pregnancy, that is from the 35th week of pregnancy recommended.

The streptococcus swab during pregnancy is performed by your gynecologist. It is done by a swab from the vagina and the anus taken. The swabs are sent to the laboratory and you will usually receive the results within a week. The result of the streptococcus test will also be in your Mother's Pass noted.

Basically, the GBS screening counts as Preventive examination to the individual health services , short IGeL. This means that you will have to pay the incurred costs of around 30 euros yourself if you decide to take the test.

How dangerous are B streptococci for newborns?

If your newborn was infected with Group B Streptococcus in the womb or during birth, mild illnesses, but also severe conditions such as sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis, can occur as a consequence. These conditions always require intensive care. In medicine, a distinction is made between an early form and a late form of streptococcal infection:

• Early form : Around two-thirds of all GBS infections in newborns are due to the early form. The symptoms of the infection become apparent already immediately after the Birth , but at the latest within the first 7 days of your baby's life. It results in blood poisoning – the so-called neonatal sepsis or early-onset sepsis – or pneumonia, which is medically termed pneumonia.

• Late form : The effects and symptoms of streptococcal transmission only become apparent between the second and sixth week of your baby's life . Here, medicine refers to a late onset sepsis. In rare cases, the infection manifests even later, up to three months after birth. This form of streptococcal infection mainly causes meningitis, which is referred to in medicine as meningitis.

How is a B streptococcal infection in pregnant women treated?

If the result of your GBS screening indicates that you carry Group B Streptococcus, it can be effectively treated to protect your baby. During childbirth Do you receive one-time a? Antibiotic via injection or infusion . This significantly reduces the risk of transmission to your baby. You may wonder why the antibiotic is not administered to you before birth? It has been shown that a medication treatment before birth – that is, during pregnancy – does not completely eliminate the bacteria. Therefore, the infection risk for your newborn would be too high at the time of birth.