Group Strep B Symptoms in Pregnancy: What They Mean

GBS commonly lives in the vagina or bowel without causing noticeable changes. A positive swab can therefore occur when you feel completely well. Vaginal discharge, pressure, tiredness, or urinary changes can also have many causes in pregnancy and do not identify GBS on their own.

Symptoms that may fit an active infection include burning or pain when urinating, needing to urinate repeatedly, lower abdominal or pelvic discomfort, fever, chills, back or side pain, and feeling markedly unwell. The same symptoms can come from other conditions, so an examination or urine test may be needed.

Note when symptoms began, whether they are worsening, and whether you have fever or pain in your back or side. Contact your maternity team or pregnancy clinician for advice rather than waiting for a routine visit if urinary symptoms or fever develop. They may test a urine sample and choose treatment suitable for pregnancy.

Tell the team about medicine allergies and any previous GBS result. A positive swab is mainly relevant to planning around birth; it does not explain every pregnancy symptom. Do not use vaginal washes, leftover antibiotics, or unprescribed supplements to treat suspected GBS.

Get urgent help for fever with shaking chills, confusion, faintness, breathing difficulty, severe abdominal or back pain, heavy bleeding, or reduced fetal movement. Call your maternity unit when your waters break or labour starts and mention any GBS result, even if you have no symptoms.

Ask: Could my symptoms be a urinary infection? Do I need a urine test? How will my GBS result be recorded? What should I do if symptoms begin at night or close to labour?