Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/855118
Abby's Magazine - Volume 5 Issue 4| Page 61 Are There Natural Things I Can Do to Test Negative for GBS During Pregnan- cy? Can GBS Colonization be Prevented & Treated Naturally? Avoiding any risk factors, you can, and nurturing a healthy gut microbiome and vaginal flora is your best preven on against GBS in pregnancy. Herbal suppositories may be beneficial – clinically I have found them to be – but while the suppositories themselves are safe and the herbs have shown in vivo effec veness against many organisms, including GBS, there is only a sparse amount of scien fic evidence suppor ng their effec veness in the human body. This is the protocol I use in my prac ce to reduce GBS coloniza on. It is not, however, meant to be a subs tute for medical treatment if you do test posi ve for GBS, in spite of treatment prior to the test, and is not meant to treat GBS in lieu of an bio cs in labor if you had a posi ve test prior to star ng treatment, though it is reasonable to use to a empt to reduce coloniza on prior to birth. For women choosing to birth at home, the use of IV an bio cs in labor may not be a realis c op on because in many states, home birth midwives do not administer IV medica ons. Home birth midwives in this situa on, therefore, o en use a risk- assessment mode, transpor ng to the hospital for IV an bio c should indica ons arise, including rupture of membranes longer than 18-24 hours (length of me varies with the protocol of different medical and midwifery communi es) or any signs of infec on. Natural GBS Prevention These are the steps I take in my prac ce to help women prevent or reduce GBS coloniza on. • Eliminate sugar, most fruit, and all junk food completely from the diet to help normalize the vaginal pH; this improves the growth medium for healthy vaginal flora • Take a prenatal vitamin to ensure that you are ge ng all the nutrients you need, especially zinc, vitamin D, vitamin A, and vitamin C, to keep your immunity boosted • Reduce stress through medita on, journaling, ge ng massage, and other relaxing ac vi es – high stress impairs immunity, gut health, and the microbiome • Eat lacto-fermented foods (sauerkraut, yogurt if you tolerate dairy), daily • Use a probio c as discussed above One Final Word… While we do need to be concerned about the health of our babies' microbiomes, and it's not ideal to give our babies an an bio c as part of their welcome to the world, an bio cs do play a role in preven ng serious infec ons, and preven on in this case can mean preven ng dras c consequences. Unless there is a prolonged course of an bio cs in the newborn, any damage can usually be repaired by giving baby a probio c for the first 6 months a er birth. In babies born by cesarean, where there is also an bio c exposure through mom, a probio c given to baby has been shown to prevent atopic condi ons. It's important to make the decision that you are most comfortable living with and that is best for your baby, and not feel swayed by any pressure to avoid an an bio c because of the desire to go "all natural." There's an appropriate me and place for most things, and while right now the jury is s ll out on the severity of the implica ons of giving an bio cs to newborns via mom, or directly, it would not be an inappropriate choice at all to decide to use an an bio c in labor.