Benjamin's Story   — Sharon Chapman, FL, USA

After two years of trying to conceive, we were blessed with our sweet Benjamin. Unfortunately, GBS claimed him at just 22 weeks gestation. At 21 weeks I had a severe bleed. I went to the hospital where an ultrasound showed I was already 1cm dialated. Even with this knowledge, two doctors from the OB practice I went to insisted on doing digital exams "trying to find my cervix." Why, I do not know. The ultrasound already showed it was open. At this point, I had not been GBS tested but I'll always wonder if I was positive for it and those digital exams pushed the GBS up into my uterus. After a three day hospital stay, I was sent home on bedrest. On Sat., Dec. 6, I had some red tinged cervical mucus. Calling the ob did no good...I was told to just stay home and rest and they would see me at my regular appointment on Monday. A few hours later I started having contractions. After an hour, I went to the hospital and found out I was already dialated to 4cm and would be having my son prematurely. A few hours later, my beautiful baby boy Benjamin was born, only to leap into the arms of Jesus shortly after birth. A few weeks later I called to get pathology reports: Chorioamnionitis caused by a massive GBS infection in the amniotic sac and placenta. As devastated as we were to lose our son, at least we had a "reason". I had no idea what GBS was, let alone how dangerous an infection could be. Now I try to help educate as many women as possible when I hear questions about GBS. So many women are told by doctors and well meaning friends that GBS is not big deal; I point people to this website now for them to get more information and to see, by reading these stories, just how big a deal GBS really is!