KATIE — USA
March 5, 1988 - April 19, 1988

Late-onset

Mother's GBS Status: Not tested
Gestational Age: Full-term
Age harmed: 6 weeks
My daughter was born March 5, 1988 and passed on April 19, 1988.  Her adrenal glands ruptured due to bacterial meningitis. We noticed a fever at 10:00 pm Sunday night and she passed by 10:00 am. I was holding her and remember her looking up at me and putting her head down. I fell asleep for a few minutes because I had been up with her most of the night.  A few minutes later I felt her and she was cooler, so I was happy her fever had broke. I then fell asleep for a few minutes and when I looked at her head the fontanel was concave and I realized she was not breathing. She was wrapped in a thermal blanket and the pattern of the blanket was in her legs and feet where the blood had settled.  When she was born I had a c-section, but they broke my water while laboring.  

When I became pregnant again my doctor tested me and I was carrying Strep B. I took antibiotics before delivering my second baby. Insurance did not pay for the Strep B test at that time, so my doctor used me as an example for all of his patients as to why they should pay to have a Strep B test performed.

- Karie Colburn
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.