Home birth

Women planning a home birth who become aware of genital tract GBS carriage will look to health professionals for advice on the implications for their delivery. Since most women opting for home birth will be otherwise low risk, a pragmatic approach to management may be advised.

As with other women finding GBS incidentally, they should be informed of the following:

1. GBS is a normal vaginal commensal in 15-30% of the population

2. Antenatal treatment with oral penicillin does not reduce the likelihood of GBS colonisation at the time of delivery, and so is not required

3. A note of the swab result should be made in the woman’s maternity notes, so all health professionals potentially involved in her care are aware of the GBS carriage

The risk of neonatal disease when GBS is detected at 35-37 weeks by swabs taken from the low vagina and rectum and cultured in enrichment
medium is around 1 in 500.