Your Alpharetta OBGYN recommends getting the group B strep test during pregnancy.
Did you know that between 10 to 30 percent of pregnant woman carry the group B bacterial infection in their bodies? While this bacteria are found in about 25 percent of healthy women, if you are pregnant you will want to ensure that you are not a carrier. Symptoms do not always manifest themselves and so you may never be aware that you have it. Therefore, the best thing to do is to talk to your Alpharetta OBGYN at Complete Women's Healthcare about the Group B strep test, and whether she recommends that you get tested.
Why should I get a group B strep test?
If you are part of the percentage of women that does carry the group B streptococcus bacterium, this could be passed on to your baby during delivery, which could lead to a serious infection in your child after birth. While babies won’t always experience problems from being exposed to this bacterium, Complete Women's Healthcare believes it’s important to play it safe and protect your child from potentially contracting a serious disorder or illness.
When should I get a Group B strep test?
Women who are about 35 to 37 weeks pregnancy should get tested. We will perform a quick swab test and if we find that you do carry this bacterium, we will prescribe antibiotics to protect your unborn child. If we haven’t already talked to you about getting tested, talk to your Alpharetta OBGYN about whether you would like to get this strep test.
What does the Group B strep test involve?
We will swab both the vagina and rectum to obtain samples, which will be sent to a lab and studied to see whether the Group B bacterium is present.
When will I get the results of my test?
Since the lab needs to study the sample first, you will most likely get your results about two days later.
Call Complete Women's Healthcare Today!
It’s always best to be safe rather than sorry, particularly when you are dealing with the health of a mother and her unborn child. Complete Women's Healthcare is here to make sure that your pregnancy is as healthy and comfortable as possible, which means protecting both you and your baby from possible threats. If you want to be tested for Group B streptococcus, call our office today to schedule your next appointment.
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