Does an antenatal care package treat group B strep in pregnancy?

An antenatal care package can screen for and plan around group B strep, but it does not itself treat the bacteria. Group B strep, also called GBS, is a bacterium that may live in the vagina or bowel without causing illness. If it is found during pregnancy, your maternity team records the result and discusses how it may affect care during labour and birth.

Antenatal care may include appointments, examinations, tests and preparation for birth. These services can offer GBS screening where it is part of your maternity pathway, explain the result and make sure the birth team knows about it. A positive result does not usually mean you are unwell or that your baby is infected. It means the team may recommend antibiotics through a vein during labour to reduce the chance of the bacteria passing to the baby at birth. Antibiotics given during labour are different from routine antenatal monitoring, and tablets taken earlier may not remove GBS reliably because it can return.

Ask your midwife or obstetrician whether GBS screening is included in your package and when it is offered. Tell the maternity team if you have had GBS detected before, a baby who became unwell with a GBS infection, or a positive result in this pregnancy. Keep the result with your maternity notes and mention it when you arrive in labour or if your waters break. Do not start, stop or save antibiotics without checking with the clinician managing your pregnancy.

Contact your maternity unit promptly if labour begins or your waters break, especially if you have a known positive GBS result, because the team may need to arrange treatment during labour. Seek urgent assessment for heavy vaginal bleeding, severe or persistent abdominal pain, a high temperature or feeling markedly unwell, or noticeably reduced baby movements. These warning signs need assessment for reasons that may be separate from GBS; do not wait for a routine antenatal appointment.

Useful questions include: Is GBS screening part of my antenatal package? What does my result mean? When should I call if labour starts or my waters break? Will antibiotics be recommended during labour, and how will the birth team receive my result?