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Baby Born with Life- Threatening GBS Despite Testing Negative Although Crystal Mikos tested negative during pregnancy, her little boy was born with GBS and a series of deadly complications. But this baby beat the odds. Crystal Mikos did everything right. Her pregnancy was perfectly normal. She was screened for Group B Strep (GBS) around 35-37 weeks, as recommended by the CDC, and tested negative. At 38 weeks, Mikos’ doctor did a procedure called “stripping the membranes” (or sometimes “sweeping the membranes”) in an attempt to get her to go into labor. This technique, in which the doctor or midwife runs a finger gently around the bag of water to separate it from the uterus, is generally considered safe and is still sometimes used; but many physicians and midwives avoid it because it is yet another opportunity to introduce infection. 8
GBSAnswers A Host of Complications At 40 weeks, Mikos’ doctor induced labor. After 30 hours of labor, the baby’s heart rate plummeted and Mikos had to have an emergency C-section. “I only remember that when Anthony was born, I heard nothing — no crying, nothing. Then I passed out.” When she came to in recovery, her fiancé told her that the baby was in neonatal intensive care with major complications. As Mikos later learned, Anthony had many problems, including pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome, severe edema, and respiratory distress because the umbilical cord had been wrapped around his neck. But the most serious of the complications was GBS. Even though the GBS screening test had come back negative, blood tests after he was born found GBS in little Anthony’s blood. Because of the many serious problems Anthony was dealing with, Mikos was told that if he lived, he might have brain damage, blindness or hearing loss. Anthony spent 17 excruciating days in NICU, but he survived. Now, almost two years later, he is a happy, healthy, perfectly normal toddler — no blindness, no hearing loss, no neurological problems. Excellent neonatal care and a lot of luck saved Anthony. But the screening test intended to prevent his ordeal did not. Be a Partner There is no way of knowing whether the membrane sweep introduced the bacteria after the negative GBS test or if the test itself was faulty or perhaps misread. No medical test How to Help Protect Your Baby, Before and During Labor In addition to adhering to the CDC’s early-onset prevention strategy, Moms can take additional precautions to help protect their babies from Group B Strep. The two pillars of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation to protect against early-onset GBS are to test all women during week 35 – 37 of In addition to asking your doctor about your GBS test, you should: • See your provider promptly for any symptoms of vaginal infection. Get a copy of all test results and keep them with you. • Take caution regarding invasive procedures. • Discuss the benefits vs. risks of possible methods of induction with your provider early in pregnancy as not all providers ask before “stripping” membranes. is 100 percent reliable and there are many ways to contract an infection. But there is a lot moms can do to improve the odds that their babies will be born healthy and stay healthy. “I know doctors get tired of patients coming in with information they’ve read on the Internet,” Mikos says. their pregnancy, and to administer antibiotics during labor to those who test positive. For the test, a swab will be used to collect a sample. According to CDC, about 25 percent of pregnant women are carriers of the bacteria and should be treated during delivery. Ask your doctor for illumigene ® GBS. • If you are having a planned C-section, talk to your provider about the risks vs. benefits of starting IV antibiotics well before your incision. C-sections may not completely prevent GBS infection, although the risk during a planned C-section is extremely low if performed before your labor starts/water breaks. The CDC says pregnant women who test positive or have had a previous infant with GBS should receive antibiotics through the vein during labor. This method is only effective during labor because the bacteria can grow back quickly. But she still recommends being an outspoken partner with your health care providers. Ask questions, get answers and do your homework. The more you know and the more input you provide, the better your chances of a happy outcome like the one Anthony and his parents enjoy. 9
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