The Group B Strep (GBS) culture checks for the presence of a bacteria, called streptococcus, in the vagina. Many healthy women – about 30 percent – have this normal bacteria in the vagina, but it can cause life-threatening infections in the newborn. The GBS "infection" causes no problems before pregnancy, and it is not sexually transmitted.

However, during labor and after delivery, the presence of GBS in the vaginal tract can lead to dangerous infections in the mother as well, such as infection of the placenta, called chorioamnionitis, which affects the fetus, and postpartum infection of the uterus.

Testing for GBS simply involves checking a vaginal swab of the vagina. This test is often done at the same time swabs are taken to check for sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomonas. These infections can be very dangerous for the newborn, as they can affect the fetus during a vaginal delivery.

Vaginal swabs are also used to test for bacterial vaginosis and yeast infection, which are non-sexually transmitted infections of the vagina that can also cause premature labor and can potentially infect the newborn during delivery.

The vaginal exam also allows the physician to examine the mother's genital area for signs of other potentially harmful infections, such as herpes or genital warts, both of which can be transmitted to the fetus.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.