Group B Strep and antibiotics - Page 2

[TeaSquare]

I understand exactly how you feel. I was GBS positive at eight weeks from a urine sample.My family doctor told me it's not big deal, that they would give me antibiotic during labour. At the time I didn't know what GBS was, but taking antibiotics during labour is a big deal to me. I started reading up GBS and I kept reading and reading. 

At five months, I was transferred to the care of an OB. The OB has the same attitude as my family doctor. When she read through my file and saw that I was GBS positive, she shrug it off and said that I don't need to worry, that they'd just administer antibiotic during labour. I'm rather baffled at how lightly health practitioners feel about the use of antibiotics. 

I'm due September 3rd and have not made my final decision about the use of antibiotics. Just know that you have a choice and you should go with the option you're most comfortable with.

Knowing that I was GBS positive at an early stage in my pregnancy is both a blessing and a curse. I couldn't think positively about my labour and it's probably the reason why I didn't prepare much for it either until recently. But it has also made me change my eating habits and do whatever I can to boost the immune system of both my baby and I. 

By the way, my OB refused to give me a swap test because she says there's no point since I'm already a carrier. Yet just this past week I was given the package to test for GBS. Have they forgotten? Whatever it is, I'm thankful I can at least know whether or not I'm still positive. I'll find out next week.

Best of luck stgertrude!

[Sukhada]

Thanks everyone for the information. I will be speaking with my midwife about GBS testing at our next appointment and will be starting some of the natural remedies that have been suggested shortly as a preventative measure.

[stgertrude]

Thanks, TeaSquare for your support and for sharing your own experiences!  As other responders and you have mentioned - this is not a fun or easy decision to make!  I plan to ask my OB to retest me at my next appointment, but like your OB, she may very likely tell me it's unnecessary since I've already tested positive.  My clinic is pretty mainstream, and I get very frustrated at the attitudes they have that make it seem like the patient has no control over their own health.  I told one of my OBs that I was taking some probiotics and trying some natural remedies and after looking at me like I had two heads, she impatiently said, "well THAT won't work because you're already colonized!"  - I don't believe this to be true based on what I've read about the nature of GBS infections.

Anyway, I hope your test comes back negative this time!  Thanks to everyone who has responded with helpful ideas and support!

[Mama2ChicknLil]

Just want to throw my 2 cents in here. I'm a CLE, and I routinely see moms develop thrush right after birth who were administered abx during labor due to a positive gbs test. Keep in mind if you are one of those women who often develops a yeast infection after taking a course of abx you run a MUCH higher risk of developing one in this case and its not just you who will be suffering but babes too. Taking abx while pregnant to deal with gbs is not conclusively effective which is why many (most?) practitioners don't chose that option.

Listen to your intuition, if it feels like something you need to do and want to treat with abx, do it. The Violence option is a good alternative though, and you could order it online and irrigate according to the UK standards (btw they get better results treating gbs than we do) during labor.

I will be refusing the test, and I will be watching baby closely (as will the pediatrician) for the first week, but everyone has to make the decision that is best for their family.

Good, luck mamas

[Mama2ChicknLil]

Sorry...ridiculous typo!

The HIBICLENSE option, not the violence option!
Smart phone making me look like an idiot yet again!!

[scsigrl]

Originally Posted by Mama2ChicknLil 

Sorry...ridiculous typo!

The HIBICLENSE option, not the violence option!
Smart phone making me look like an idiot yet again!!

snort.  I like it!

[LACandy]

Im 38 weeks today. I am having a natural birth in the hospital, my second one, but this time I am Group B positive. I totally did not expect this and I am not wanting antibiotics but I cannot shake the fact that I actually have a friend who's baby died of late onset meningitis from infection at birth. I am not prone to yeast infections, my OB is all for intermittant IV, put it in take it out, and I will most likely arrive at the hospital very late in labor. Its only 5 minutes away. I think I will probably accept, but it sucks.