Prevention

If you're pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a group B strep screening during weeks 36 to 37 of pregnancy. Your doctor will take swab samples from your vagina and rectum and send them to a lab for testing.

A positive test indicates that you carry group B strep. It doesn't mean that you're ill or that your baby will be affected, but that you're at increased risk of passing the bacteria to your baby.

To prevent group B bacteria from spreading to your baby during labor or delivery, your doctor can give you an IV antibiotic — usually penicillin or a related drug — when labor begins.

If you're allergic to penicillin or related drugs, you might receive clindamycin or vancomycin as an alternative. Because the effectiveness of these alternatives is not well understood, your baby will be monitored for up to 48 hours.

Taking oral antibiotics ahead of time won't help because the bacteria can return before labor begins.

Antibiotic treatment during labor is also recommended if you:

• Have a urinary tract infection
• Delivered a previous baby with group B strep disease
• Develop a fever during labor
• Haven't delivered your baby within 18 hours of your water breaking
• Go into labor before 37 weeks and haven't been tested for group B strep

Vaccine in development

Although it's not available yet, researchers are working on a group B strep vaccine that could help prevent group B strep infections in the future.