Group B Strep & Pregnancy

Well, today is my 33rd week. Oh, Merry Christmas everyone *BIG GRIN*
I've been busy- what can I say?

So I had my midwivery appointment today and I found out that I have Group B Strep. BASICLY a quick rundown of what it is this:

A lot of people carry it, although it's USUALLY found in the colon. Some women (30% or so) carry it vaginally which is dangerous when you are pregnant and about to have a baby.

This is a partial rundown via Midwife.org:
"Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a beta-hemolytic gram-positive organism commonly found in the intestinal tract. Ten to 30% of pregnant women are colonized with GBS vaginally and/or rectally (1,2,3,4). Vaginal colonization is usually asymptomatic, but GBS can cause urinary tract infections, amnionitis, endometritis and/or wound infections. GBS can also result in severe infection in newborns. Early-onset neonatal Group B streptococcal disease is most frequently evident as sepsis, meningitis and/or pneumonia that appears within the first seven postnatal days. At present, GBS is the leading cause of neonatal sepsis and one of the most common causes of infectious morbidity and mortality in neonates (5). Because the case fatality rate of early-onset GBS infection in neonates is 5%-22% (6), a strategy for prevention of this disease is of vital importance."

So now that I am told I have it- what does that mean? Basicly that when I go into labor, I need to get at least a dose ( 2 doses are recomended) of antibiotics (Pennicillin) to prevent the baby from coming into contact with the infection. That is the dangerous part of it. It is very very dangerous for the baby. If infected, signs in the baby tend to occur usually within the first six hours after birth, and most by the seventh day of life. This infection can cause inflammation of the baby's lungs, spinal cord or brain. About 15% of these babies will die from the infection

This basicly means that I will probably be choosing not to labor at home once I do go (or my membranes rupture) to make sure I am getting these antibiotics ASAP. Kind of a thorn in my side, unfortunately. C-sections also do not prevent the risks, however they do lower them.

So, fun fun fun. At least I passed my 3 hour glucose test and Im not diabetic (few weeks back I failed the first 1 hour- but passed the 3 hour).
So, from here it's all on the countdown. I'm in nesting mode.

Happy New year all.

Countdown Starts....

"This is day number 210 and you're 30 weeks pregnant!
You have 70 days or 10 weeks left, and are 75.0% of the way there.
Baby's age since conception is 196 days or 28 weeks. You are due on 2/13/2006."

So, 10 more weeks to go. PHEW! Baby is kicking my bellybutton out at the moment.