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Explained: Why pregnant women must go for group B strep test

New Delhi: Despite the fact that vaginal bacteria are often harmless in adults, certain germs can be dangerous to babies after delivery.

Group B strep is a common bacterium that is carried in the body. The Group B Streptococcus test, sometimes known as the “strep B test,” is a pregnancy medical examination used to determine if a pregnant mother’s vaginal and rectal regions are harbouring the bacterium. The GBS infection can make your baby unwell, but with prompt treatment, the majority of infants can recover completely.

Out of these treatments, a series of tests called the Group B Streptococcus (GBS) test is advised to treat this issue. The Group B Streptococcus bacteria may be found in the vaginal and rectal regions of expecting mothers and are detected during pregnancy via a medical screening procedure commonly referred to as the “strep B test.”

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What is group B strep?

Accoridng to Cleveland Clinic, the germs that cause group B strep infection (also known as GBS or group B Streptococcus) are often discovered in a person’s vagina or rectal region. GBS affects about 25 per cent of expectant women but they are unaware of it since there are no symptoms. A pregnant woman with GBS can pass the bacteria to the unborn child through vaginal delivery. Group B strep problems are more likely to occur in infants, elderly adults, or individuals whose immune systems are compromised or undeveloped.

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When you should get tested for group B strep?

All pregnancies should undergo routine group B strep testing, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Between 36 and 37 weeks of pregnancy, a GBS screening is performed on expectant mothers. Your doctor will swab your vagina and rectum for the group B strep test before submitting it to a lab for analysis.

The foetus infant is unaffected by GBS while it is still inside the uterus. Nevertheless, during labour and delivery, you might give your kid GBS. GBS therapy with antibiotics reduces the risk of GBS transfer to the foetus

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