What is Group B Strep?? I Have It

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-21-2007
What is Group B Strep?? I Have It
2
Mon, 06-30-2008 - 1:02pm

Hi everyone,


I just got a phone call from my gyn. I went back on Tuesday of last week for my Chlamydia re-test results, and thank god it is now all gone, however my dr told me I have something called Group B Strep and that she was going to call in some antibiotic cream for me. Has anyone ever heard of this disease? I've been trying to look online and it seems to me like its more of a disease that affects pregnant women and their babies. Please someone tell me more about this disease, is it a major worry, will it affect my ability to have kids, is it easily cured, etc. Thanks

Jacki

153.2 / 152.2 / 120

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2004
Tue, 07-01-2008 - 12:28pm
It's normal bacteria residing in the intestines and sometimes anal and vaginal canals that most women have at some point in their lives. The only reason they talk about it in pregnancy is because a baby can be effected by it during a vaginal birth. Otherwise it is harmless. It will come and go quite often so you may not have it at which point you give birth in the future. I would not treat it. It comes and goes on it's own and it's harmless.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-2006
Tue, 07-01-2008 - 8:43pm

Hi again,

Strep B does naturally occur in the vagina and the anus, on the skin, etc, but every now and again it can flare up into a full blown infection. Because you have recently been on treatment for chlamydia, this will have changed the natural flora of your vagina, and probably allowed the infection to take hold.

It does happen commonly in pregnancy, but can occur at other times, obviously. It shouldn't affect your ability to get pregnant in the future.

Here's some info for you:

Group B strep in vagina
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/group-b-strep-in-vagina.html

Persistent Group B strep
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/persistent-group-b-strep.html