Group B Strep and Pregnancy

[Jyotsna]

Hi everyone,

I have a client whose doctor has asked her to get testing for Group B Strep (saying it is dangerous IF she has it...for the baby).

She wants to know should mothers automatically be tested for Group B Strep (even though she has never had any signs or symptoms).

Please let us know...she'll check here for the answer.

Thanks,

[DoomaYula]

There are no signs of GBS (in a mom) that I know of. I've had a lot of clients recently with it. In a hospital setting it's treated with 2 doses (minimum) of abx by IV. IMO, it's really overkill -- GBS infection in a newborn is very rare, and is of most concern when a mom has extended ROM, or is giving birth to a preemie. Many hb mws have a protocol for their GBS+ moms, lots of rinsing with Hibiclens, taking probiotics, minimum of VEs.

So, to answer, yes it CAN be dangerous for a baby, but the risk is very small... I want to say 1/400 babies of a GBS+ mom get it. You can do a search on this forum, this topic comes up a lot.

[mwherbs]

yes it is standard care- to test all moms for GBS-
there can be no signs or symptoms it is considered to be at this point part of "normal" flora-- although if you were to look at vaginal tissues under a microscope you would find inflammatory process and reaction to GBS- - it seems to be recognized in all sorts of disease states in old people now as well as newborns-

[Twinklefae]

You might get her to ask the doctor how long the test has been part of the standard of care. I'm not getting tested, and my doctor is comfortable with that because they only started testing 2 years ago. So everyone still remembers what they did before that. It's worth asking at any rate!

[JamieCatheryn]

To explain the danger - if you have it there's about a .3% chance of the baby getting very sick possibly dieing from menigitis (spinal infection), risk varies, it's highest if baby is preterm or her water is broken a long time. I had a mild, late onset case as a newborn, though my mom's labor was quick and she was at 42 weeks. I was put in the hospital with a high fever, they gave fluids and antibiotics with a needle in my head...I was fine after but they took it very seriously. Anyway in the hospital if they don't have a negative test to prove you don't have it they want to give you an IV antibiotic drip. They pushed me around about this, kept my results secret and sprang it on me, gave the IV against my will. Next time I'm taking lots of Vit C, garlic, and probiotics to prevent any infections myself.

[mwherbs]

in addition to what has been said about risk factors- the highest risk factor is a Group B strep UTI- the strain of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B strep) that will colonize the urinary tract can be the most virulent and when a woman has it in her urine- silently or obviously increases the likelihood that the baby could become sick-
babies who's mothers are treated in labor may still become sick-
------------
where GBS lives mainly is in the intestines- there are things like live culture foods that can help to reduce the colonies of GBS the more lactic acid forming bacteria and H2O2 producing lactobacillus the less GBS a woman has.
one thing to do is check vaginal pH-and it should be 3.8-4.4 --
BV and GBS as well as yeast prefer pH of 4.5 and up you can use something to make a stronger acid environment as a quick remedy and work on probiotic colonization of intestines as well as the vagina.

[Blucactus]

Originally Posted by mwherbs

BV and GBS as well as yeast prefer pH of 4.5 and up you can use something to make a stronger acid environment as a quick remedy and work on probiotic colonization of intestines as well as the vagina.

For instance, what would you use to make a stronger acid environment?