Laboratory swab with which they will make the exudate for the detection of beta-hemolytic streptococcus.
Beta-hemolytic streptococcus is a bacteria that found in the vagina of 20% of women. It does not have any symptoms and it is not dangerous for health. As far as pregnancy is concerned, if you have to take preventive measures since the baby will come into contact with it. At approximately the 35th week of pregnancy, your gynecologist will exudate your vagina and perineum in order to know if you are carriers of this bacteria.
In the case of a positive test, you will be given at least 2 doses of penicillin on the day of delivery.. This antibiotic will pass through the placenta to your baby helping him to fight the streptococcus that he collects at birth. The problems that this bacterium brings with it have occurred especially in babies of women who did not have a follow-up of their pregnancy. If you do not have the strep test done, generally the two doses of antibiotic will be applied preventively.
Symptoms of infection in the newborn
- septicemia: reaches its peak 24 hours after birth due to the immaturity of the baby's immune system. If you are positive and have not received treatment, your child will be observed for at least 2 days.
- Respiratory problems.
- Digestive disorders.
- Abnormal heart rhythm, faster or slower.
- Fever and seizures.
Prevention during pregnancy
- Clean private parts from front to back in order not to drag bacteria from the intestine into the vagina.
- Keep hygienic intercourse.
- Tomar probiotics that help to regenerate the vaginal bacterial flora. The lactobacilli that live in the vagina "clean" the bacteria that should not be there.
- Reduce the number of vaginal examinations that they do to you at the end of pregnancy. You can refuse to carry out these touches, since in addition to facilitating the entry of pathogens, they are totally unnecessary.
If you've tried to prevent GBS and it hasn't been possible, don't feel bad or guilty. As a mother who had a positive exudate, I give you the hopeful news that my daughter was born healthy and without any subsequent problems. Anyway, If you notice something strange in your baby a few weeks after birth and you are afraid that it was due to streptococcus, consult your pediatrician immediately.
Hello
Searching on the test I found your website. They did the test with the swab this morning and the midwife has put it in a plastic box that did not contain any liquid or gel, nor has she put it in a cooler or anything. Can it give a false negative?
Friends of mine who have already been moms told me that their midwives or gynecologists put the swab in a tube with a kind of gel / liquid for maintenance. It worries me since the internet says that it must be introduced into a kind of "maintenance or culture broth", lest it give a false negative and then they don't give me the antibiotic during delivery.
Thank you very much