Avoiding abx...yogurt or garlic insertion?

[northcountrymamma]

DOes anyone have any experience using either of these to prevent a +ve GBS test?

I am fearful somewhat of using garlic because of borderline low platelet counts and the fact that garlic is known for thinning blood, but have read that eating keifer (which we do daily) and taking probiotics (again something we do daily) and inserting yogurt into the yoni will help to create a -ve test result. 

I would likely refuse abx anyways...but I don't want to be considered +ve with my midwives if other risk factors occur and have to decline...I'm looking for a -ve test result!

any thoughts?

[ytownmidwife]

Here is an excellent source of information on GBS. http://www.groupbstrep.org/  Please take time to evaluate the risks of GBS to your newborn before deciding on a course which will mask the presence of this bacteria.  Since GBS is transient and affects only about 30% of women during pregnancy, it is likely that you are negative anyway.  On the other hand, GBS infection can cause death in babies and is easily preventable with antibiotics.

Edited by ytownmidwife - 11/30/10 at 12:12pm

[Evergreen]

So is there anything you know of that will get rid of it or help get rid of it before birth so that someone can be pretty close to certain they don't have it?

[ytownmidwife]

There is some research about a vaginal wash.....I will see if I can find it.

[ytownmidwife]

The vaginal wash is chlorhexidine and is used if you test positive.  Some studies suggest it is as effective as antibiotics.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7556834. 

@NorthCountryMama:  all my midwife friends tell me you will probably have a negative screen if you eat keifer every day;)

There are a variety of methods to prevent your screen from coming up positive.  Many midwives I know use them faithfully, but they are not based on evidence, just midwifery wisdom.  Most of them do include garlic:  eating it or inserting in your yoni.  There also seems to be an association between adequate vitamin D levels and negative group B screen, so it's worth having your levels checked.  I've also heard of midwives advising vitamin C, but make sure this comes from your DIET and not a supplement.  You don't want to get consistantly high doses of vitamin C during pregnancy.  Then there is also eating keifer and yogurt or putting THAT in your yoni. 

Personally, I don't want my yoni or any other part of me smelling like garlic LOL

Best of luck!

Edited by ytownmidwife - 11/30/10 at 1:06pm

[mommaklo]

My midwives tested me at 13 or so wks along to see if I was gbs+ and I came back +. They had me retest (still not sure why) and it came back negative. They referred me to Jarrow femdophilus probiotics and grapfruit seed extract and I did probiotics religiously (not so much the gse) and I took loads of other probiotics too. At 36 wks I came back gbs + again. I bawled when I got the results. I thought "either I take abx and welcome my baby into the world with a compromised gut and immune system because of them, or I risk my baby getting sick." I really, really, really wanted to reject the abx. But long story long, I ended up in the hospital, induced. (yea, we all learn alot from our first, right? Not EVER going there again) My INDUCED labor lasted 30 hrs and my midwives told me later that it probly was a good option for me to be induced, from all the info they got about my labor, they "predicted" my natural labor would have been days and the worst thing that could have happened was my water to break to begin labor, because a broken bag of waters for that long up the risk of baby being infected.  Long story, I know, but what I learned is that you can always reject the abx in labor, it is possible even in a hospital, but dont trick your body and get a false positive because you temporarily treated yourself, and wind up with a labor like mine. Im glad I made the decision I did. Tho I still HATE the idea of having taken them.  Just hoping to give a different pespective.  

[northcountrymamma]

so I eat keifer everyday, have taken 5000 IU of vit D daily for a couple years (except in the summer) and my naturopath has just recently advised that I take 1200mg of vit c daily. 

I wonder if I need to use the garlic in my yoni or not. Maybe I'll just do the yogurt...hmmm.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. 

[kltroy]

Originally Posted by northcountrymamma 

so I eat keifer everyday, have taken 5000 IU of vit D daily for a couple years (except in the summer) and my naturopath has just recently advised that I take 1200mg of vit c daily. 

Please don't take that much vit D!!  This can actually lead to vitamin D toxicity.  There is really no reason to take any more than 1000 IU/day, and anything over 4000 IU can be harmful.  I am a bone researcher and this is a very hot topic - some of the best minds in the business just came out with a consensus statement about Vit. D and Calcium supplementation today.  You can find it here:  http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Report-Brief.aspx

There's no harm in taking too much vit c - you will just pee out the extra.
 

[northcountrymamma]

thank you for the concern and the great article about vitamin d. My naturopath and I keep an eye on my levels with blood tests so I know that both myself, my spouse and my child are all within great ranges (though I can't recall the number off hand). 

[ytownmidwife]

Crazy thing:  if your baby is exposed to  high levels of vitamin c throughout pregnancy, they can to develop scurvy once they are born since they are used to the higher levels

[A Mom's Love]

Originally Posted by ytownmidwife 

Crazy thing:  if your baby is exposed to  high levels of vitamin c throughout pregnancy, they can to develop scurvy once they are born since they are used to the higher levels

Interesting...how high is too high?

[northcountrymamma]

so it came back +ve, regardless of my attempts to get a -ve screen...

now what...I'm so set against antibiotics. I just feel so torn. 

and my midwife has never head of the hibiclens....arg.

[Climbergirl]

Originally Posted by kltroy 

Originally Posted by northcountrymamma 

so I eat keifer everyday, have taken 5000 IU of vit D daily for a couple years (except in the summer) and my naturopath has just recently advised that I take 1200mg of vit c daily. 

Please don't take that much vit D!!  This can actually lead to vitamin D toxicity.  There is really no reason to take any more than 1000 IU/day, and anything over 4000 IU can be harmful.  I am a bone researcher and this is a very hot topic - some of the best minds in the business just came out with a consensus statement about Vit. D and Calcium supplementation today.  You can find it here:  http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Report-Brief.aspx

There's no harm in taking too much vit c - you will just pee out the extra.
 

Huh?  I am FINALLY up to a normal level for Vitamin D3 and it took me taking 10,000 IUs a day for almost a year.  Otherwise, at 1000 a day, my doctor told me it would be several years before I even hit the low range of normal.  I had a doctor prescribe me 50,000 IUs of D2 to take weekly.  My doctor tests me every month or so as well. 

Maybe with someone one with normal levels to begin with, but it can be appropriate is someone is severely deficient as I was.

[sarahn4639]

NCM, I tested positive for GBS for the 1st time this prengnacy.  My plan is to refuse the antibiotics as long as my water remains intact.  If my water breaks early I will accept them because that does make a difference in the risk to the baby.  My previous 2 births have been my water breaking and the baby being born within 30ish minutes.  If this one follows suit, I feel confident in our odds.  I definitely want to avoid antibiotics at all costs as well as I had them soon after my first birth and they make nursing hell for the first 8ish months, but at the same time I want to make educated medical decisions for my baby.  This is a course of action I feel confident in and my midwives support.