ZEY - SOUTH AFRICA
Born January 31, 2011

Early-onset

Mother's GBS Status: Not tested
Gestational Age: 37 weeks
Age Harmed: 21 hours

I had a healthy pregnancy. At 36 weeks I phoned my doctor as I wasn't sure whether my water was leaking. I was told to come in only when a gush of water comes. At 37 week my water broke. My daughter was born naturally in 5 hours. After birth the Ped gave her the all clear and she got an apgar score of 8+9/10.

Twenty-one hours later I was holding her and she started crying quite shrilly. I also thought I saw an eyeroll. I took her to the nurse, who told me to go wait in my room. The doctor later came and said he suspected meningitis and sepsis and that he had started antibiotics but will be doing a lumbar puncture.

She was on antibiotics in ICU for just over 2 week. At 6 weeks old she had a suspected fit and was readmitted and an MRI was done. She has an infarct in her occipital lobe about the size of two grapes. She was put on lethyl/phenobarb for a year. We did all sorts of tests when she was little and she passed all with flying colours. She is now 6 years old and a bright, happy, active child. I know that God performed a miracle - her name means. "Secluded for God to Honour Him". I wish I had known about GBS. I only found out what it was after diagnosis (and google).

— Cherise Van Niekerk, South Africa

Cherise is using Facebook to educate and share her story and raise awareness.
​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.