Week 33: Understanding Group B strep
Image: @bunny_wahl
Welcome to week 33 of the Happy Parents Happy Baby guide to pregnancy, birth and beyond.
This week we'll be covering:
We hope you enjoy it!
What is Group B strep?
Group B strep (GBS) is a type of bacteria which usually lives in the vagina or back passage. It is common in pregnant women and is usually harmless. However, in rare instances it can cause serious infection in your baby. Here are some things you might like to know about it:
If you have group B strep while you're pregnant:
Your baby will usually be healthy
But there is a small risk (1 in 1,750) that it could spread to your baby during labour and lead to serious conditions such as sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis.
According to the RCOG, on average in the UK, every month:
43 babies develop early-onset GBS infection
38 babies make a full recovery
3 babies survive with long-term physical or mental disabilities
2 babies die from their early-onset GBS infection
Group B strep is not routinely tested for in pregnancy but may be picked up during tests carried out for another reason, such as a urine test or vaginal swab. If you are concerned about group B strep, speak to your midwife or GP for advice.
The NHS does not routinely offer all pregnant women screening for GBS, however you can pay for a test privately, which costs around £40. You can find out more on the Group B Strep Support website.
If tests find GBS, or if you've had a baby that's had it before, you will be offered extra care and treatment.
Including:
A discussion with your midwife about your birth plan and the safest place to give birth.
Advice about contacting your midwife as soon as you go into labour or when your waters break so you can be offered antibiotics through a drip which can reduce the risk of your baby developing GBS in the first week of life from around 1 in 400 to 1 in 4,000.
A discussion about monitoring your baby for symptoms after birth.
Your baby’s development in week 33
Size of a butternut squash
Weighs on average 1.9kg
Around 43.7cm long
Your baby’s brain and nervous system is now fully formed. Your baby’s brain is protected by their skull bones, which will stay soft and separated until they are around 12-18 months old.
This flexibility makes it easier for your baby’s head to move down the birth canal as the bones can shift and overlap very slightly.
Week 33 Checklist
You might like to:
Practise upbreathing. Your breath will be such a powerful tool during your birth -however you choose to give birth. Practice upbreathing for at least one minute a day if you can. Take a deep breath in through your nose and a long slow breath out through your mouth. You might like to count whilst doing this. Breathe in for four seconds and out for eight. Repeat this five times.
Talk to your midwife about Group B strep. If you have any concerns about Group B Strep, speak to your midwife who can advise you depending on your own personal circumstances.
Spotlight on: Stretch marks
Each week we'll be delving into the common symptoms of pregnancy and bringing you top tips for managing them from our team of specialists and parent community.
Stretch marks
You probably don’t need us to tell you what stretch marks are as they are very common in men and women. They’re caused by your skin stretching as you grow or gain weight. The hormonal changes your body goes through during pregnancy makes you more susceptible to getting stretch marks. It won’t affect everyone and depends on how elastic your skin is.
Depending on your skin colour they can be pink, red, purple or brown and the NHS says they can affect 8 in 10 pregnant women. You might have also noticed them appear on your bump, breasts and upper thighs. When they start to appear will vary from person to person.
The average woman will gain around 10-12kg (22-28lb) during their pregnancy but this will vary. If you gain more weight then you will increase your likelihood of getting stretch marks. If you are expecting multiples you can expect to put on a bit more weight than if you were only having one baby so may be more likely to get stretch marks.
While you may feel self-conscious about them, stretch marks are not harmful and will fade over time.
Birth story of the week
This week we catch up with Sarah and Neel from our Leigh-on-Sea course who share the positive birth of their baby Penelope.
“Luckily when I was assessed by the midwife at the hospital, I was 10cm dilated and ready to push. Neel had left the car outside the hospital entrance unlocked with the hazard lights on. He was told not to move it because he might miss the birth as the baby was coming quickly. My midwife was amazing at coaching me to push and in what felt like no time, our baby was born! She was delivered onto my tummy and Neel cut the cord.
“We arrived at 1am and were out by 5am which was fantastic. I’m a bit sad that we didn’t have our home birth. If I’d known how close I was to having the baby, I’d have definitely stayed at home. The birth was easy and my recovery quick and the midwife excellent but our family is complete and I’ll never have a homebirth.”
Thank you to this amazing couple for sharing their birth story.
Treat of the week
Treat your growing bump to the Secret Saviours Pregnancy Stretch Marks Kit. You may be starting to feel that there’s not any more room for your baby to grow but there’s still a few weeks left until they make their appearance. Indulge in a relaxing treatment designed to hydrate and soothe your skin.
Products are based on suggestions from our specialists and community of parents. We may earn commission from shopping links.
Join our community
Happy Parents Happy Baby is here to support you through every step of your pregnancy, birth and parenting journey.
Connect with other parents-to-be and learn everything you need to know, by joining our award-winning antenatal classes.
That's all for now...
Thank you so much for joining us!
Have a great week.
Team HPHB x
Information you
can trust
Our articles are based on the latest-evidence based guidelines and scientific research and are written by our team of medical experts.
Coming up
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What are UFO positions?
Spotlight on: leaky boobs
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