Exudation test: detection of strep B
The vaginal and rectal swab is a test that is performed to all pregnant third trimester gestational, to detect bacteria in the birth canal that could affect your baby in childbirth.
Vagino-rectal exudate is an easy, painless and effective test that allows the gynecologist to extract a sample of flow of both areas through the introduction of a swab, which is an instrument that resembles a cotton swab to clean the ears, in order to rule out possible vaginal infections.
The exudate is usually done in the third trimester of pregnancy, in particular between weeks 35 and 37, with the aim of detecting if there is the possibility of contagion to the baby through the channel of delivery by the bacteria Streptococcus Group B (EGB).
Before you undergo the test not you must perform washings vaginal or rectal, and you must not have taken antibiotics recently; in the event that it has been so, report it to the midwife or the gynaecologist, since these medications can influence the results of the exudate.
The result of the exudate is valid for around five weeks from the sample, so if delivery does not occur during this period of time, the test must be repeated.
Although the possibility of your child to see is affected by this infection is minimal - are between 0.5 and 1.5 cases per 1,000 live births - can have very serious consequences for infected infants, even in the long run, such as loss of hearing or vision, or mental retardation.
In any other situation, this contagion would go unnoticed because, in fact, most of the time has no symptoms. The problem occurs in case of pregnancy, during vaginal delivery (does not happen in Cesarean delivery) the baby will have to go through the vagina and, if Infected, may cause serious diseases to the baby, which lacks an immune system prepared to combat this germ.
Streptococcus B can cause early-onset disease, when it appears during the first week of life of the baby, or late-onset, if it arises after that first week.
The main consequence of neonatal infection is the appearance of sepsis, a disease caused by a strain of the immune system that just to prevent the blood properly reach the vital organs. You can leave sequelae important and, in the worst cases, it is deadly. It may also cause lung infection (pneumonia), respiratory infection, infection bones and joints (osteoarthritis), and inflammation in the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
Fortunately, the majority of babies whose mothers have primary education will not be affected by the bacteria, but it is necessary to protect that small percentage who may end up developing the disease.
If the result of the vaginal and rectal swab was positive, and pregnant women had infection by Streptococcus B, matron or other competent healthcare professional will administer you a dose of intravenous antibiotic (penicillin or ampicillin) every four to six hours, from which start delivery (when they begin regular contractions and it is dilated three centimeters) until the birth of the baby.
Where women stand delivery prior to screening or having the results of exudate, professionals will act as if he had the infection and you will be given medication.
With proper treatment, the babies early onset disease is reduced between 65% and 86%. However, it is possible that specialists keep the baby under observation in the first week of life, that is the stage that is considered higher risk of neonatal infection.
Rectal and vaginal discharge during pregnancy
During pregnancy, proofs and revisions occur quite frequently because it is considered necessary to control both the pregnant woman and the fetus. Most of them are known by almost all women, even if they have not been pregnant: ultrasound, blood analysis, urinalysis and O'Sullivan (popularly called sugar test) test... However, are not so many that know that they will have to perform an exudate vaginal and rectal already advanced pregnancy.Vagino-rectal exudate is an easy, painless and effective test that allows the gynecologist to extract a sample of flow of both areas through the introduction of a swab, which is an instrument that resembles a cotton swab to clean the ears, in order to rule out possible vaginal infections.
The exudate is usually done in the third trimester of pregnancy, in particular between weeks 35 and 37, with the aim of detecting if there is the possibility of contagion to the baby through the channel of delivery by the bacteria Streptococcus Group B (EGB).
Before you undergo the test not you must perform washings vaginal or rectal, and you must not have taken antibiotics recently; in the event that it has been so, report it to the midwife or the gynaecologist, since these medications can influence the results of the exudate.
The result of the exudate is valid for around five weeks from the sample, so if delivery does not occur during this period of time, the test must be repeated.
Although the possibility of your child to see is affected by this infection is minimal - are between 0.5 and 1.5 cases per 1,000 live births - can have very serious consequences for infected infants, even in the long run, such as loss of hearing or vision, or mental retardation.
What is strep B
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae is a bacterium that lives in the small intestine, but occasionally reaches the rectum and can finish going to the vagina due to its proximity, causing an infection if it can unbalance the bacterial flora of this area.In any other situation, this contagion would go unnoticed because, in fact, most of the time has no symptoms. The problem occurs in case of pregnancy, during vaginal delivery (does not happen in Cesarean delivery) the baby will have to go through the vagina and, if Infected, may cause serious diseases to the baby, which lacks an immune system prepared to combat this germ.
Streptococcus B can cause early-onset disease, when it appears during the first week of life of the baby, or late-onset, if it arises after that first week.
The main consequence of neonatal infection is the appearance of sepsis, a disease caused by a strain of the immune system that just to prevent the blood properly reach the vital organs. You can leave sequelae important and, in the worst cases, it is deadly. It may also cause lung infection (pneumonia), respiratory infection, infection bones and joints (osteoarthritis), and inflammation in the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
Fortunately, the majority of babies whose mothers have primary education will not be affected by the bacteria, but it is necessary to protect that small percentage who may end up developing the disease.
How to prevent the transmission of Streptococcus B baby
Among the 10-25% of pregnant women are affected by the Streptococcus B, but since you have no symptoms, women can not put on notice to the midwife or the gynecologist to prevent thus contagion to baby during childbirth. Therefore the ideal is to make a crop all women in advanced stage of gestation, and thus the Sociedad Española de Ginecología y Obstetricia (SEGO) advises it.If the result of the vaginal and rectal swab was positive, and pregnant women had infection by Streptococcus B, matron or other competent healthcare professional will administer you a dose of intravenous antibiotic (penicillin or ampicillin) every four to six hours, from which start delivery (when they begin regular contractions and it is dilated three centimeters) until the birth of the baby.
Where women stand delivery prior to screening or having the results of exudate, professionals will act as if he had the infection and you will be given medication.
With proper treatment, the babies early onset disease is reduced between 65% and 86%. However, it is possible that specialists keep the baby under observation in the first week of life, that is the stage that is considered higher risk of neonatal infection.
Article contributed for educational purposes