GBS Question

[oceanbaby]

I tested negative for GBS when pregnant with ds 3 years ago.

I tested positive about a month ago this pregnancy. I have been on a regimen of Vit C, acidophilus, GSE, and garlic extract. We did another test, and sent it in for not only the GBS test, but also a vaginal culture test. The GBS test came back positive still, but the vaginal culture test came back negative, in that it didn't pick up any 'unwanted' bacteria.

My midwife is interpreting this to mean that the GBS is present, but in very minute amounts. But she is going to talk with some other midwives, as she's never gotten this result before.

Does anyone else have experience with what this means? We are going to test again this week (I am due next week), and see what the test says.

[oceanbaby]

Anyone?

[plantmommy]

I wish I had some insight, but I don't!

If there's no sign of gbs in the vagina, why worry? I thought the concern was the baby picking up the bacteria in the birth canal. If it's not there, or there in such small numbers, I wouldn't stress over it.

I did a search awhile ago on the actual percentage of cases where the baby got ill from gbs, and the numbers are pretty low. It's just that it can be so serious, but mostly it's not.

I'd research those numbers and decide what your comfort level is, but it doesn't sound like an alarming situation, depending on what your birth plan is (hosp./bc/home, etc.)

[Artisan]

Is there a way to test for the level of GBS present? (I would assume not, or your midwife would have done that, right?)

[oceanbaby]

Is there a way to test for the level of GBS present?
That's what the vaginal culture test is. The GBS test is just to determine if it is present. That is positive. The vaginal culture test was negative when checking for how much GBS there was. (The vaginal culture test doesn't test specifically for GBS, however, but for any 'unwanted' bacteria.)

[water]

Hey oceanbaby, can you link me to, or pm me the regime you were using? I was GBS+ last time and I've talked with my midwives (through an OB practice) and they won't retest, so I want to treat myself BEFORE the 36 week testing date. Also, how long should you treat yourself for? And do you need to keep treating yourself until the end of your pregnancy now?

Thanks!!!
water

[oceanbaby]

Water - I've been taking the following:

2 capsules acidophilus, 3x/day
2 GSE tablets, 3x/day
2 garlic extract capsules, 3x/day
1 Vit C (500mg) w/Bioflavanoids, 2x/day

I have also heard of people taking echinachea, and using acidophilus suppositories as well.

Good luck. I'm getting tested again today, and am really hoping for a negative!

[Threefold]

I would try wiping with a diluted solution of Tea Tree Oil before the test. I didn't want to deal with a + b/c Kaiser won't retest either, so I did oceanbaby's regime for 4 days before the test and wiped carefully with the diluted TTO solution and then hopped in the shower to rinse (the tto tingles a bit) the day before the test and the morning before. I did get a - .

[water]

Thanks for the info, hey dalaimama what is your TTO solution formula? I'm gonna beat this test!!!

[Marysmama]

First of all, I want to be careful about how I say this. I know you ladies want to have births with no interventions. I do too. However, in my opinion, why even take a test, if you're "trying to beat the test".

It's like cheating the test. Unless you ladies keep up the with regimens that your using to get neg. test results on your GBS tests, you just might be positive at the time of the birth.

I'm not against getting rid of GBS with the regimens you guys are using, just wondering if you're keeping up with them until the birth.

[oceanbaby]

just wondering if you're keeping up with them until the birth.
Absolutely. I don't care about beating the test - I'm having a homebirth and don't have to do antibiotics if I don't want to. I care about being negative for GBS when I deliver!

But it can go both ways too - even someone who tests negative at 37 weeks could be positive when they go into labor, so it's really a crapshoot either way if you ask me.

[Mamid]

I'm refusing the test.

Last pregnancy, after getting a +, I was almost killed when the nurse was connecting the GBS med to my IV - Penicillin. Guess just which antibiotic I'm allergic to?

You got it - Penicillin. Even with it written all over my chart AND on my firetruck red hospital bracelet, I still almost got killed.

In the middle of a labour contraction, I turned, saw the nurse hooking up the bag to the pole, and as she uncapped the antibiotic needle to stick the two lines together, I asked her which one it was. In the middle of a labour contraction....

She read it out and both me and my DP freaked.

Then, too, so did the nurse. She grabbed my bracelet to check it, grabbed it off the pole, ran out of the bathroom (I was in the tub which made me coherent during contractions) and had a check of my chart. She apologized profusely when she came back in and said it would take a while before they could get the "right" antibiotics up from the pharmacy.

Gee... doc... couldn't you have read my chart before scripting that!????

So, no, I'm not getting tested. I don't want to undergo a "routine" treatment that nearly killed me last time. If there's any post partum problems, then we'll deal with it. That, and they can't bring antibiotics like that to a home birth. *evilgrin*

[Threefold]

I put one drop of organic tea tree oil on a wet wipe (I used a Tushies wet wipe but a wet flannel cloth would work just as well) and rubbed it together well so it soaked in. It definately tingled, which is why I jumped in the shower to rinse afterward.
Really whiney 3 yo on my lap, gotta go!