If you’re GBS positive and your water breaks, you should go to the hospital quickly. GBS, or Group B Streptococcus, is a bacteria that many healthy adults carry. However, for babies, GBS can cause severe infections like pneumonia, sepsis, or meningitis. When your water breaks, the protective barrier around your baby—the amniotic sac—opens, which increases the risk of passing GBS to your baby.
Doctors usually recommend that mothers with GBS go to the hospital right away if their water breaks. By going in promptly, you can receive the antibiotics that prevent GBS from spreading to your baby. The sooner you begin antibiotics, the better protection you can offer your newborn against potential infection.
At the hospital, healthcare providers will give you intravenous antibiotics, often penicillin, every few hours until you give birth. This treatment reduces the chances of GBS transmission. It’s essential to start these antibiotics within a few hours after your water breaks, which is why immediate hospital care is ideal.
GBS Risks of Waiting Too too Long After Your Water Breaks
Waiting too long to go to the hospital increases the risk of GBS transmission to your baby. Without the protective amniotic sac, bacteria like GBS can travel more easily. Doctors usually recommend delivering within 24 hours after your water breaks to prevent infection risks. If labor doesn’t start naturally, doctors might induce it to reduce risks.
Going to the hospital immediately gives your medical team time to monitor both you and the baby closely. Nurses and doctors will check your temperature, vital signs, and baby’s heart rate to catch any signs of infection early. Babies born to mothers who received antibiotics on time have a significantly lower risk of developing GBS-related illnesses.
In summary, if you are GBS positive and your water breaks, prompt hospital care is the safest option. Starting antibiotics right away protects your baby from serious infections. Going to the hospital gives the medical team the tools and time to ensure a safer delivery for both you and your newborn.