Week 35: Test time

It’s test time again, but don’t worry—the screening for Group B streptococcus (GBS) is simple and painless.

GBS are bacteria found in the lower genital tract of almost 40 percent of all women. GBS rarely cause symptoms or problems in women before pregnancy, but can cause severe infections in newborns.

Your doctor or midwife will use a sterile swab to collect a sample from your vagina and rectum, which is sent to a lab for testing.

If you have GBS, you’ll be given antibiotics through an IV during labor or when your water breaks to prevent the bacteria from passing to your baby.

Learn more about GBS.

Watch for preeclampsia

The most common high blood pressure disorder of pregnancy is preeclampsia, occuring in about 5 to 8% of women. Learn about this complication, its diagnosis and how it is treated.

What about cord blood banking?

You may have heard of banking your baby's cord blood immediately after birth. What does that involve and why do some people do that?