BRAIDEN - USA
Miscarried October 2013
Prenatal-onset
Mother's GBS Status: Tested positive
Gestational Age: 17 weeks
Age Harmed: 17 weeks
I had back to back pregnancies. I lost Emma at 20 weeks in 2012 and Braiden at 17 weeks in 2013. For both babies I went in for a normal appointment and no heartbeat could be found. I gave birth, and both autopsies showed GBS as cause of death since the babies had GBS in their hearts. I was told after Emma that this was a once in a lifetime thing to happen and it would not happen again.
It took a year to get pregnant with Braiden and I was tested at 13 weeks for GBS which was positive and I was given antibiotics. The next test at 15 weeks was negative and when I went in at 17 weeks he had died. He was kicking like crazy the day before, so he ended up dying on my daughter's birthday who was with us because we were finding out the sex of the baby that day.
A few months after the death I received a phone call from the Health Department stating that I should have had daily antibiotics starting at 10 weeks. This was highly upsetting. I now have an infectious disease doctor (high-risk), daily antibiotics and progesterone. The doctors tell me that they have never experienced this and have no idea if this will work next time or if I will lose another baby and I am terrified.
Update: We have now had three losses due to GBS. If you have any ideas to share with my OB, please email [email protected].
— Staci Shockley, USA
Join Staci's "What If We Had Known . . . ?" campaign in tribute to Braiden HERE!
To learn more about Perinatal & GBS Misconceptions, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.