Streptococci can be present asymptomatically in the vagina. It can cause inflammation of the amniotic sac, the uterine lining or lead to a urinary tract infection in the mother if symptoms appear. Occasionally a newborn will have a local infection, septicemia or meningitis as a result of vaginal strep.

Approximately 20% of all women have streptococcus present in the vagina. As many as 75% of their babies contract strep, but only 3 to 4 percent per 1000 get sick as a result. Of these sick babies, 7% of them are under 1000 gm (around 2 lbs). Babies born before 37 weeks gestation are at much higher risk of infection than full term babies. There is an increased risk for the baby with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) or surgical delivery.

In clinical practice, vaginal strep is usually not checked for unless there are symptoms. As a precautionary measure, oral sex should be avoided whenever a strep infection is present in the throat of a partner (this is usually strep A). If recurrent prematurity has been a problem for the mother or a urinary tract infection (UTI) is present, a culture may be done to determine if strep is present. In a hospital setting, when premature rupture of membranes is being checked, a culture can be done at that time. There are five serotypes of Group B strep, with type III as the most associated with meningitis. However, all types may cause disease.

If the client has a past medical history with a positive result of Group B strep or a current indications or symtoms which arise during the current pregnancy, the midwife should screen at 34-36 weeks with vaginal/rectal culture.

If the result is positive, the midwife should discuss management options. Some options are listed below:

Propolus can be taken daily, either in capsules or tincture, 3 to 4 times daily.

Echinacea root (Augustofloria) can be taken either as a tea or tincure, 3 times daily. To make the tea, use 1 oz of the root to 1 pint of boiling water and steep for 6 to 8 hours. Echinacea root is specific to staph and strep infections. It stimulates the body's defense mechanisms as well. A strong tea may also be diluted and used as a douche. When douching in pregnancy, extra care must be taken to avoid forcing water up into the uterus, causing infection and other problems.

Essential Oil Protocol to get rid of GBS (From thebirthsource.homestead.com/gbs.html

It's imparative that the oils are of highest quality. Young Living oils from Essential Oils R Us are one source that has been recommended.

Put the following in a Double "O" gelatin or vegetable capsule:

5 drops Lemon Essential oil
3 drops Oregano Essential oil
5 drops Mountain Savory Essential oil

Take one capsule 3 times daily.

Additionally do the following:

Soak an ORGANIC tampon in...

15 drops Lemon Essential oil
9 drops Oregeno Essential oil
15 drops Mountain Savory Essential oil
1 tsp carrier oil

Leave soaked tampon in overnight. Insist on being retested. Do this daily for the last six weeks of pregnancy.

V-6 Vegetable Mixing Oil:

V-6 Mixing Oil combines food-grade vegetable oils for mixing with essential oils to create blends, formulas and massage oils. Grape seed oil, wheat germ oil and vitamin E are nurturing to the skin as natural antioxidants. V-6 is also excellent for cooking and making salad dressings. Blendi 15-30 drops of an essential oil to 1 oz. mixing oil. V-6 is good for mixing massage oils, creating your own blends and formulas, for cooking and making salad dressings, etc. The ingredients of V-6 Mixing Oil are sesame seed oil, grape seed oil, almond oil, wheat germ oil, sunflower seed oil and vitamin E.

Another GBS Remedy 

3 capsules of Congaplex by Standard Brands 3 times a day for a week, then reculture. If negative, no more Congaplex. If positive, 1 cap a day until the end of pregnancy.

Congaplex Ingredients: Bovine thymus Cytosol™ extract, carrot root, ribonucleic acid, bovine bone, nutritional yeast, defatted wheat, bovine adrenal, dried alfalfa juice, oat flour, alfalfa flour, bovine kidney, veal bone PMG™ extract, mushroom, dried buckwheat juice, buckwheat, peanut, soy bean lecithin, mixed tocopherols and carrot oil.

Do not take if you have food allergies to any of these ingredients.

Take 500 mg Vitamin C every 4 waking hours.
1 acidophilus (4 billion micro-organisms or higher) capsule every 4 waking hours.

Acidophilus is available at:

• Probiotics High Potency Acidophilus
  
• Friendly Colonizer Acidophilus Powder

Take Congaplex, vitamin C and acidophilus daily for the last six weeks.

Insert an small ORGANIC tampon or a cotton ball, whichever is more comfortable, soaked in a combination of 10 drops of tea tree essential oil and Olive oil. Leave the tampon in for 4 hours each day for 6 days.

More suggestions for GBS:

EHB by NF Formulas given over a 10 day period (6 caps per day)  and Tea tree oil vaginal suppositories 3 to 4 x daily for that time (see above). This mom was re-tested at two weeks after positive culture (3 to 4 days after last EHB taken), two weeks after that (2 1/2 weeks after first positive culture), and on one occasion was tested again 2 1/2 weeks later (5 weeks after positive culture) because of a prolonged ROM with no labor.

Then insist on retesting to see if the GBS has gone away. Midwives have seen heavy colonization completely cleared with these treatments, although there is no scientific study to support it.

Another midwife had a case of a mom's GBS culture at 36 weeks yielded a result of 2+ colonization, which was the same at 38 weeks. She had her take 500mg Vitamin C every 4 waking hours, 1 EHB (NF Formulas) capsule every 4 waking hours, Propolis 4x daily, and she inserted a tampon soaked in 2% Tea Tree oil solution (2% Tea Tree essential oil, 98% Olive oil). She left the tampon in for 4 hours each day for 6 days. Culture at 39 weeks was negative for GBS. She had a long labor, a high leak for 72 hours, then a rapid active phase and 2nd stage, healthy baby, normal placenta, and normal recovery. The midwife has become a believer in Tea Tree oil for a variety of infections, though in this case she believes it acted synergistically with the other natural therapies the mother used. She has used it as a spray on throat infections, as well as for vaginal yeast, trichomonas, and gardnerella, all with great success. Not much is seen about Tea Tree oil in midwifery literature, but it may well be worth a try for other GBS+ moms who are averse to standard antibiotic therapy.

Another recommendation for GBS:

1. Boost Vitamin C in your diet, such as eating 2 grapefruit per day. Other good sources of Vit C: red peppers, oranges, kiwi fruit.

2. Drink a cup of Echinacea tea or take 2 capsules of echinacea every day

3. Get extra sleep before midnight. Slow down your schedule. Take it easy and eat well. Follow a nutritious diet

4. Take 3 teaspoons of Colloidal Silver per day. Take it between meals. Hold the liquid in your mouth a few minutes before swallowing. Colloidal Silver can be purchased in most health food stores. It is silver suspended in water. It is antibiotic in nature and safe in pregnancy.

5. Plan ahead for extra warmth after the birth for both you and baby. Hot water bottles, heating pads, hot packs, big towels dried in a hot dryer during the pushing phase--will all help you and baby keep extra toasty after birth and reduce stress. Have a friend or family member assigned to be in charge of the "Mother/baby warmth team".

6. The colostrum from your breasts is the best antibiotic treatment your baby could ever get. The colostrum is very important for your baby. Breastfeeding your baby is the best thing you can do to keep your baby healthy since you pass on your immunities to your baby through the breastmilk.

7. Other good prevention tips: Keep vaginal exams to a minimum--0 is best. Do not permit artificial rupture of the membranes. After the membranes have broke, keep vaginal exams to a minimum, again 0 is best if possible. If not possible, use extreme care and sterile technique if an exam is absolutely necessary. Any exam has the possibility of introducing GBS into the cervix of the mother if she has a positive GBS test result. Do not allow children of other families to visit the new baby for the first 3 weeks. Keep your older kids healthy so they are not sneezing and coughing on new baby.

Many of us midwives think that we must have had a lot of women who were Strep B positive in the many numbers of births that we have all done over the years. Most of us pay special attention to nutrition and preventive care for our moms during their pregnancies, their births, and postpartum after the babies are born. Many of us do not test for GBS unless there is a real need to do so, such as a mom with a past history of GBS, a mom having long rupture of membranes and/or a preemie. Once the baby is born, we keep our moms and babies warm with skin-to-skin contact, with careful cord care and, of course, all our mothers breastfeed (this is a biggie with me and other midwives). I have never had a baby sick with Strep B since I began midwifing back in 1979 (knock on wood!).

In a hospital, if strep is present, the baby is cultured immediately after birth. If strep is found, antibiotics are begun. In a well nourished mother the baby will be more resistant to infection. Remember, problems only manifest in a small number of cases. At home, Echinacea tincture can be given prophylactically if desired. The infant dose is 1 drop tincture every 3 hours. Symptoms of neonatal infection often begin with respiratory distress which gradually worsens. Evaluate other signs of infection, e.g., alertness, nursing, etc., and if the midwife suspects trouble, the client's health care provider should be consulted by the client.

The midwife should have the client consult with her health care provider if the culture remains positive, in spite of treatment and if:

1. Labor is premature (less than 37 weeks)
2. A prolonged rupture of membranes, greater than 12 to 19 hours.
3. Maternal fever before or during labor.
4. There are signs or symptoms of maternal or fetal infection.