Pregnancy and Group B Strep Testing

GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS (GBS)

¨GBS is a type of bacteria that some woman carry as part of their normal vaginal flora

¨In the USA, pregnant woman are screened for the presence of GBS between 35-37 weeks

¨Some women who carry GBS can pass the bacteria on to their infants during birth and RARELY, these infants can sick with Early Onset GBS disease.

¨Woman who test positive for GBS are informed and will be offered IV antibiotics when they are in active labor

 

Now  that you know some of the basics and I know you may have more  questions ,but what I wanted to pass on to you even more importantly is

 STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING GBS COLONIZATION IN PREGNANCY

 

As many of you know I believe being proactive has a positive effect on the mind and body so after searching for a long time  Ifound these tips to pass on to you to help decrease your worries of GBS.

 

Start at 32 weeks since most of you are screened between 35 & 37 weeks.  Use one, all ,or a combination of any of these.

 

Probiotics take one per day

Echinacea 3x a day with food

Vitamin C 500mg daily

Garlic –eat fresh garlic daily preferably raw and organic (crush in salads, soup etc)

Burdock Root & Echinacea Root infusion:

Steep 0.5 oz of Burdock and Echinacea in 4 cups boiling water. Steep for 2 hours. Strain. Drink one cup daily. Store any extra to drink the next day.

 

Enjoy these healthy remedies while boosting your immunity and decreasing overgrowth of GBS.

 

In joy,

dee*