Group B Strep Support Thread

[sazibubba]

i dislike the idea of abx and im still at a loss on what to do. i would like to have a homewater birth and get the abx only if another risk arises, my urine is clear. seeing midwife tomorrow but im worried shes going to force me to a hosp birth with abx. she cant do this can she? its against my rights?

 

[PeanutBean]

No she can't force you but she will almost certainly try and give the impression you have no choice. If you're firm she will probably tell you you have to see the supervisor if midwives. You don't have to and you may or may not want to. I did and got my birth plan written and she agreed to it and circulated it to the labour team do that when I went into labour paeds would be alerted in case of any urgency and transfer for neonatal infection. I guess that's a good thing. It was useful to have a final agreement so it wasn't hanging over my head but I did have to fend off the "your baby might die" onslaught that naturally ignored the considerably higher chance of my baby dying from any number of other things they weren't interested in because I hadn't had an arbitrary test for any of them....

 

[5ara]

i dislike the idea of abx and im still at a loss on what to do. i would like to have a homewater birth and get the abx only if another risk arises, my urine is clear. seeing midwife tomorrow but im worried shes going to force me to a hosp birth with abx. she cant do this can she? its against my rights?

I had a birthcenter birth, and was basically forced to have the abx. She told me that they would have to transfer to hospital if I didn't agree, because of their insurance liability.
I don't think that would apply to a homebirth, though. All you can do is ask. Good luck!

 

[sazibubba]

well spoke to midwife today as she came over to do my birthplan and im now havin a hospital birth as im now high risk and baby needs to be under obs when born. at least i know what is happening now i feel at ease as i was stressing about this! gotta think about planning for hosp birth now lol

thank you so much ladies for your support

 

[Nikki_d72]

Nikki - Thanks for your input. I've read a few times about infection (not just GBS) causing a chemical release (I forget of what) that triggers labour and weakens membranes. I think it is one of those most sad effects of a bad infection, as you say perhaps when in combination with other factors. But there's nothing to be done about it in advance I wouldn't say. We can't all have abx all pregnancy! A sad rare fact of pregnancy.

Yes as I said, it's not exclusive to GBS infection. The thing is, I was completely asymptomatic so I don't know if I had a "bad" infection or not. My urine hadn't been tested since booking-in so there wasn't much I could have done in advance, except if I'd known the very subtle signs of dilation (which in retrospect I had), I could have had a cerclage sited to stop it and avoid the infection getting in. That's why I posted that info and link. But if I'd had a positive urine culture, well that would be another thing...

As for all pregnant women getting abx, I never suggested that, in fact I'd be dead against that as there is already a problem with resistance with GBS, BUT if it's present in urine I'd be doing something about that - whether by abx or natural means - just leaving it would be a damn risky strategy. Things can change within a matter of days though so I'd say the faster the treatment, the better.

Statistics are all very good and tidy but if you are that one-in-however-many things are a bit messier. I was throwing statistics around myself not so long ago.

 

[PeanutBean]

Nikki - Thanks for your input. I've read a few times about infection (not just GBS) causing a chemical release (I forget of what) that triggers labour and weakens membranes. I think it is one of those most sad effects of a bad infection, as you say perhaps when in combination with other factors. But there's nothing to be done about it in advance I wouldn't say. We can't all have abx all pregnancy! A sad rare fact of pregnancy.

Yes as I said, it's not exclusive to GBS infection. The thing is, I was completely asymptomatic so I don't know if I had a "bad" infection or not. My urine hadn't been tested since booking-in so there wasn't much I could have done in advance, except if I'd known the very subtle signs of dilation (which in retrospect I had), I could have had a cerclage sited to stop it and avoid the infection getting in. That's why I posted that info and link. But if I'd had a positive urine culture, well that would be another thing...

As for all pregnant women getting abx, I never suggested that, in fact I'd be dead against that as there is already a problem with resistance with GBS, BUT if it's present in urine I'd be doing something about that - whether by abx or natural means - just leaving it would be a damn risky strategy. Things can change within a matter of days though so I'd say the faster the treatment, the better.

Statistics are all very good and tidy but if you are that one-in-however-many things are a bit messier. I was throwing statistics around myself not so long ago.

No I wasn't at all suggesting you did and I'm sorry if it came across that way. The strategy for GBS altogether is to have antibiotics which leads to thousands of mums having them for single figures of babies who would be infected (and often still are) without a second thought for the effect of the massive overuse of antibiotics. And I agree that presence in urine should be dealt with.

 

[kellyb]

I just wanted to share a remedy that worked for me in going from Group B Strep positive to negative in one week. At 38 weeks I tested positive, so my midwife suggested I do the following:

1. Limit sugar by as much as humanly possible. (this was the worst part by the way)
2. Eat 1 grapefruit per day.
3. Take echinacea daily.
4. Take probiotics daily.
5. Use a garlic suppository nightly (1/2 clove of garlic, scored, in the vagina--I tied a string around for easy removal).

I also made sure to eat plain yogurt every day.

I was so relieved to find that in week 39 when we redid the test, it came back negative. I love it! It's so nice to know that natural remedies will work. Now, for safe measure, I'm continuing most of this, but I'm allowed to have a couple pieces of Halloween candy , and I only have to do the garlic suppository every few nights.

Good luck, ladies!

 

[7th_heaven]

kellyb this sounds alot like what i've been doing. i had my test on thursday and am hoping to get the results tomorrow.
the sad thing is the cdc guidelines say that since my urine tested positive at 16 weeks that i should be treated as such even though my urine tested negative at 31 weeks.
i went ahead with the 36 week swab bc i want to know how hard i should fight them when the time comes. if i am negative- you better believe i'll be fighting and not showing up early for doses etc.

 

[Drazic<3]

I tested positive for GBS last pregnancy with Moo and had anti-bs, I was wondering if anyone knew wether that meant I would be automatically considered as having it this time? My midwife suggested I wouldn't be tested, but just automatically given the anti-bs again, seems a tad strange.

 

[PeanutBean]

Good luck 7th heaven.

Hi Drazic!! Congratulations! I think you'll find this is something that varies by PCT. Having tested positive before is a risk factor in being positive again as you would expect. Some places love to throw antibiotics at anyone and everyone (hell I had them in my first labour without even a gbs test and with no reason for them at all!) and will definitely want you to have them this time test or no. Some places will want to test and base antibiotics on that. Others won't even mention it. It will just depend on your Trust I think.

 

[7th_heaven]

My sister lived in Alabama when her first was born and I know their protocol is different than our state. Theyhave a "once gbs+, always gbs+- no matter what" for ALL pregnancies.
So I'd guess it depends on local authority.

 

[kellyb]

I wish you tons of luck, 7th Heaven! Hang in there.

 

[7th_heaven]

Just got word today- I am GBS negative!
I broke my diet tonight and had some Halloween candy but am back on it tomorrow to insure that come birthday I'm golden.

 

[kellyb]

Just got word today- I am GBS negative!
I broke my diet tonight and had some Halloween candy but am back on it tomorrow to insure that come birthday I'm golden.

Sweet! That's awesome, 7th Heaven. I did the exact same thing tonight--couldn't resist the milky way. Damn you, candy! Back onto no sugar tomorrow! Is it crazy that one reason I can't wait for the baby to come out is that I get to eat like my normal self again??? (Granted, this is the most minor reason...)

 

[7th_heaven]

Forget milky way. It was almond joy and a York peppermint patty!
I may keep no sugar up ftmp after baby comes. Sugar makes me feel like poop.
I'm actually going to give up dairy as well in a little bit. Mine have a history of pretty severe colic in reaction to dairy. I am more sad about losing that than sugar!

 

[PeanutBean]

Excellent news 7th_heaven!

 

[Scuba]

Wow - brilliant thread, so much info though my head feels like its going to pop!!
One question which I still don't quite understand is what exactly is the difference between being a carrier and having the infection? I was tested via a high vaginal swab at about 7 weeks, I went in for an early scan as had shoulder pain queried as ectopic, and they took the swab there and then - now I've got a letter saying I need antibiotics in labour etc etc.. From what I've read GBS comes and goes, or is that only if you're a carrier rather than actually infected? Surely I should be at least offered another swab later in pregnancy rather than relying on one from 7 weeks??!
Also the GBS in urine thing.. I got told I had protein + and leuks ++ in one urine test I did while in hospital but no one ever got back to tell me anything else - good old NHS - so now I'm worried GBS was missed in my urine and should I be being treated with antibiotics for uti now??
Sorry if I seem really stupid asking all this lol xx

 

[PeanutBean]

Hi Scuba!

Sorry, I'm not on much these days. To answer your questions:

A carrier is a bit of a dodgy term. You'll know we all share our bodies with millions of different types of bacteria and gbs is just one of those. So it's not even really being a carrier (which sounds like a disease bearer). A gbs infection is like any other bacterial infection. Usually it's found in urine. As urine is sterile normally any bacteria in it is an infection.

Gbs status does vary and absolutely you should have another swab at about 37 weeks+. Then you can decide whether or not you wish to have antibiotics (though note the evidence in their favour is extremely shaky).

Your urine test would've shown up bacterial growth if you had gbs infection. If you have any bacteria in your pee that's a UTI and you may want to take antibiotics for it.

 

[babykate]

hi! although this thread doesn't seem very lively, I thought I'd post my story. Throughout my pregnancy, I've been gbs negative in the monthly/weekly urine tests, but I tested positive at the 36 week swab. After doing some research, OH and I decided that 1 in 10,000 was not really worth it for us to fill myself or the baby with abx during/after labor, and we will be doing the hibiclens rinse during labor.

As I have no other risk factors (i'm currently 39 weeks), i am comfortable with this plan as long as i don't have PROM. We are giving birth with a midwife at a birthing center in a hospital, and I expected her to be a little more supportive when we told her what we wanted. She said that we will get resistance from the doctors when I refuse abx, and also from the pediatrician when we refuse to give the baby iv abx unless his cultures come back positive.

I can't tell if this attitude is really for the best of the baby, or just because they are used to doing something in a standard way, and they don't want to take the extra steps to do cultures on the baby after birth and then let us decide. My midwife didn't try to discourage us, but she did warn us that we will receive pushback every step of the way, and probably the doctors will tell us sepsis death stories to scare us into changing our mind. I begged her to let them contact me with their side of the story asap instead of while i'm in labor, but I'm still waiting for a phone call.

I've been taking echinecea and garlic for 1 week, and i just started taking probiotics (vaginal formula, 50 billion) so I am hoping that he'll stay in for 1 week longer and I'll be able to regulate my system/use the hibiclens rinse during pregnancy to neutralize the bacteria. I'm just worried that they will lie to us in the hospital about his cultures being positive, and we'll be bullied into having to give him IV abx.

 

[PeanutBean]

Hope everything has gone ok babykate.

Sorry for the quiet thread, I really don't have time for BnB anymore. Can I suggest that someone maybe take on the admin of the thread? If someone does they can message BnB admin and ask for the thread to be reassigned so that it can be kept properly up to date. It's a common issue and will come up time and again and I know homebirthers will continue to be challenged by the non-evidence based medical dogma. Hope someone can take it on!