Gotta make a decision.......

[Mrs_Hos]

...and I'd like your input! :)

I am leaning towards NOT having the GBS test.
But I don't wanna be that statistic that has GBS+ and somehow it effects the baby.
SOOOO...I want to find out ways to 'cleanse' my body of it before hand. I've heard of the garlic cloves--thread some thread thru a clove and insert it for 1 wk prior to test---cleanses the vagina, but won't it burn?
Hey--I'll do what needs to be done, but what are my other options?
Any ideas?

[treemom2]

For me it really helped to know that there are some signs that may help in determining the risk of GBS. I know they are talked about in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and if I remember correctly they are:

1. fever during labor
2. membranes being ruptured longer than 24 hours before birth

Also, you don't have to wrap a string around the garlic, you just shove the clove up there (change every 3-4 hours) and when you are ready to get it out just squat and bear down like a bowel movement--comes right out. It usually doesn't burn unless you knick it when you are peeling it, but then I've heard of women knicking it to release more of the oils--I guess it just depends on you.

[atpeace]

Bobbi, I asked my midwives about this too, and they've mentioned that while there are no conclusive, reliable studies about the garlic, it does seem to be effective for many women. Here's a helpful site, that's where I got my info from, and I'm willing to try it - http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/gbs.html#Garlic (scroll down to subsections, and click on the garlic one, but there's more info about GBS in the other subsections).

I'm going to try it starting next week, and then I'll be taking the test the week after, so I'll let you know how it goes...

[pageta]

I chose to do it because it is non-invasive and it might prevent arguments later on. If I didn't have the negative result, they might want to argue with me and try to make me take the anti-biotics. If it would have been positive, I would have wanted to retake it in an attempt to get a different result (just because you're negative today doesn't mean you'll be negative tomorrow - status on this changes very quickly from what I understand). So I took it, it was negative, and that's one less thing for me to worry about when I'm in labor.

[birthjunkie]

Look into taking bee propolis in pregnancy and using Hibiclens during birth.

[sweetfeet]

I declined the group b test. Last time I delivered before 36 weeks and was therefore automatically treated as positive and given IV antibiotics. I'm having a homebirth this time and I guess I could do a hebiclens if I were truly concerned, but I'm not. If I were delivering at a hospital I would get the test only because if you don't they'll "require" a course of antibiotics.

[LiLStar]

i've done the garlic trick for yeast infections and i actually cut the clove in half to make sure lots of the juices from it could get out.. it never stung me a bit.

[jessitron]

I'll take the GBS test, but will postpone it as long as possible, probably 38 weeks. Doctor says it takes a week to come back and they want it back before I might go into labor, hence the early date. Yet, a week later, who knows whether the results are even valid. sigh. He did say they're working on an insta-test that can be used during labor - now that would be an improvement! but it is still in testing.

My midwife says she'll put me on an herbal/homeopathic regimen for the days before the test, to increase the likelihood of a negative result. The only reason I'll take the test at all is that a negative result (2/3 chance without the regimen, right?) will help in case of transfer, while a positive won't really be any worse than not having taken it. Ah, what a lovely irrational healthcare system we have.

[mom2owen1]

i decided to have the test since i would be assumed positive. i didn't want to fight about the abx if i didn't have too. it was recommended to me to do 5-7 days of garlic vaginally, followed by 5-7 days of probiotic vaginally. the garlic will kill all bacteria and the probiotic will replenish good. i procrastinated and got 4 days of garlic in before my test. came out negative (but might have anyway).

i used garlic capsules though. no need to be removed. if you go with capsules, try to get ones that have not had the odor removed, that is what helps kill the bacteria.

[Mrs_Hos]

Kris--what brand of capsules did you use?

[mom2owen1]

i am running out the door now, but will look when i return from my dr appt!

Kris

[poetesss]

Keep in mind that if you use the hibiclens rinse before the test, it's an antiseptic rinse that will just kill off the GBS if it is present. You might "pass" the test, but could still be GBS positive.

If you really want to know your GBS status because you are concerned about GBS disease in your newborn, it wouldn't make sense to try and "cheat" the test, KWIM?

I would ideally like to know what my GBS status is, however I am undecided about taking the test because if positive, a future health care provider can make a stink about "once GBS+, always GBS+" and pressure abx during labor for the next child.

If positive, my personal preferred method of fighting the GBS during labor would be the hibiclens wash during labor. There are studies that show that it combats GBS as effectively as the abx however, does not have the effect of increasing ecoli infections in newborns (unfortunate side effect of the abx). Plus because it's an external rinse you don't have to worry about having all that antibiotics in your system.

Here is the link to one study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=12375548&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum

I think that I may just decline the actual test but just do a hibiclens rinse during labor anyway. Plus one can always monitor one's newborn for signs of GBS infection after birth.

Hope this helps! :thumb

[wantingagirl2b#4]

I was wondering what type capsule also and are these capsules taken orally?

Thanks,
Kelly
i decided to have the test since i would be assumed positive. i didn't want to fight about the abx if i didn't have too. it was recommended to me to do 5-7 days of garlic vaginally, followed by 5-7 days of probiotic vaginally. the garlic will kill all bacteria and the probiotic will replenish good. i procrastinated and got 4 days of garlic in before my test. came out negative (but might have anyway).

i used garlic capsules though. no need to be removed. if you go with capsules, try to get ones that have not had the odor removed, that is what helps kill the bacteria.

[Mrs_Hos]

Confused...

I was told that the reason they test 4 wks before is that if you are within the 'not good' range then, it would only increase. If you are under the 'not good' range then 4 wks isn't enough time for them to get into the 'not good' range and cause a problem.
That sounds logical to me.
If it is true that it can really fluxuate back and forth, then why are we even taking the test in the first place? We should be checked in labor, and then dealt with appropriately. UGH.
This is so frustrating
I think I will garlic myself...then may or may not get tested...probably not.
I'm guessing I can get the hibeclense at the health food store?

[mom2owen1]

Here is what I took: Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract, Original Formula. 600 mg capsules. I inserted vaginally. The capsule and contents disolved.

I didn't specifically look for this brand, it was just the one the lady at the healthfood store recommended.

I agree about the fluctuation, should be tested in labor, etc. It really makes no sense to me to test so early either.

[atpeace]

Yea, like a lot of other "essential" test they do in pregnancy, this one is flawed...Your status can change over a few days, so just because you test one way at 37 or 38 weeks, doesn't mean you'll have the same results a week or two later...but my midwives told me it takes at least 24 hours to get results back, and since you can go into labour at any moment, there's just not enough time to test AND get results AND then deal with the results...you'd think there'd be a faster test...

Poetess - thanks for informing us about the hibiclense...I've never heard of it, but now I'm going to check it out. I hope it's available in Canada!

[torio]

I apologize in advance that I don't recall the source of this data, but I've read that the risk of serious illness in newborns is higher with antiobiotic-resistant bacteria than with GBS and that babies whose moms took the abx got the resistant forms just as often as those whose moms had no abx. Just another bit of information to consider in the complex process of decision-making.

[LavenderMae]

Bobbi, you can get hebiclens at most drug stores. Make sure you dilute it enough or it will burn. I did test and I tested + and it has been a source of stress for me. If I had it to do over I would NOT get tested or I would do what I needed to do get a negative (If I was birthing in the hospital). I will do a hebiclense rinse when I go into labor.

Torio, that is correct from all that I've read about GBS.

[chandasz]

I'm debating getting tested as well. I'm leaning toward monitoring during labor.

If baby is premature (unlikely since I'm almost 37 weeks!)
If BOW breaks and no labor for 18 hours
If I run a fever in labor

I am taking a regimen of supplements this week in case I change my mind:
I'm taking
1. 1000 mg vit c 4 x day
2. 600 mg echinacea 4xday
3. 1000 mg of propolis 4xday (stinkiest, nastiest stuff I've ever encountered)
4. 5 billion microorganisms of acidopholous 4xday

My MW's said that with this combo-- they have yet to see a GBS+.

They also said that in their years of practice they have NEVER had a morbidity or mortality due to GBS caused infection

Yes, test is flawed. Positive one week, negative the next so who knows when you show up in labor at hospital.

They have developed a rapid test, I've heard-- that could be administered in triage at hospital on your arrival but I don't know who's got it yet....

[poetesss]

Poetess - thanks for informing us about the hibiclense...I've never heard of it, but now I'm going to check it out. I hope it's available in Canada!

I'm sure you can find it. FYI, Hibiclense is the brand name and the actual solution is chlorhexidine. So you might have a different brand in Canada. In the study I linked to above, they used a .2% dilution.