Mum Jordan shares her story:
‘I went into hospital at 28 weeks not feeling well. After 12 hours of monitoring and checking, they decided to swab me for group B Strep. After all of that, it turned out I had Covid.
I was sent home where I could rest and would be looked after round the clock. To be honest, I’d completely forgotten that they swabbed me and they didn’t really explain what they had swabbed me for five days later. I received a phone call from the hospital around 8pm to tell me that I was confirmed positive for group B Strep. They didn’t give me much information over the phone but told me not to worry.
How could I not panic being told that my baby could be poorly with group B Strep? I will never forget how I felt receiving that phone call, I thought that my life had turned upside down.
I had to reach out and find all the information on the NHS website and also contact the charity. GBSS were absolutely fantastic. They gave me all the information that I needed, provided me with leaflets and spoke to me on the phone throughout the rest of my pregnancy, and even after Carter was here. I was so worried he would get group B Strep after he was born.
I was so grateful for being tested and for the charity helping me with all the information I needed, but at the same time me and my family were so worried about what could happen.
GBSS provided me with all the information I needed to keep my baby as safe as I possibly could throughout labour. I took these documents to the hospital on my final scan and they said they would book me in to be induced two weeks early, at 38 weeks.
Honestly, I was terrified – I’d asked for a C-section but was told, ‘No you will be induced’, and be put on a drip with antibiotics to help the infection. Two days after being induced my waters finally broke and I was in labour for 24 hours. By the time we got to the 24th hour they rushed me down for an emergency C-section as the baby’s head was stuck.
The hospital swabbed him there and then and said that his test results came back, and he was absolutely fine with no concerns.
I couldn’t quite get my head around it. I’ve been through all of this and then Carter would come out to the world with no health conditions. The next day they decided to send me home 24 hours after my C-section – I was in shock and worried he could develop late-onset group B Strep.
The first two months, I found myself struggling thinking: ‘How was my baby so healthy?‘
I spoke to GBSS and they explained the signs to look out for and told me if I have any concerns to go straight to the hospital. Thankfully, my story is a positive one and I’m so grateful for all the support that me and my family were provided with. He’s doing amazing, not everyone is as lucky as we were.
Thank you so much for all your help. I hope in the future the NHS inform mums about the risks of group B strep and give them a choice to have the swab test or not.
If I was informed about the risks of having group B Strep I would’ve definitely paid for a private test, but until that phone call from the hospital, I had no idea what group B Strep even was. I really do hope there’s a change to help save women and babies from the same fears and struggles we had.’
