Group B Strep (GBS) - Rebecca Dekker, phd, Founder of Evidence Based birth
What is Group B Strep?
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacteria that can cause illness in people of all ages. In newborns, GBS is a major cause of meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), pneumonia (infection of the lungs), and sepsis (infection of the blood) (CDC 1996; CDC 2005; CDC 2009).
Group B strep lives in the intestines and migrates down to the rectum, vagina, and urinary tract. All around the world, anywhere from 10-30% of pregnant people are “colonized” with or carry GBS in their bodies (Johri et al. 2006). Using a swab of the rectum and vagina, people can test positive for GBS temporarily, on-and-off, or persistently (CDC 2010).
Being colonized with GBS does not mean that someone will develop a GBS infection. Most people with GBS do not have any GBS infections or symptoms. However, GBS can cause urinary tract infections and GBS infections in the newborn (CDC 2010), and people who have preterm births are 1.7 times more likely to be colonized with GBS during labor than people who do not have preterm births (Valkenburg-van den Berg et al. 2009).
This article focuses on Group B Strep in pregnancy in the United States, along with some information about other countries.
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Baby positioning, Belly mapping & More
Gail Tully, CPM – Creator of Spinning Babies®
“I believe childbirth can be instinctual, pleasurable, and easier. But what, you ask, about fear and pain in labor? How come 1 in 3 Americans birth by cesarean if birth is so natural? Could it be that something was missing?
“As a midwife, I’ve developed a new approach to address fetal position and overall comfort. The result? Progress in labor and less pain in childbirth.” SpinningBabies.com is for parents, providers, doulas, and childbirth educators. Online since 2002.
- Discourage posterior positioning
- Flip a breech
- Activities for pregnancy comfort and easier birth
Read More at Spinning Babies!
chiropractic care
The late Larry Webster, D.C., Founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association(ICPA), developed a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment which enables chiropractors to establish balance in the pregnant woman’s pelvis and reduce undue stress to her uterus and supporting ligaments...
Read more from American Pregnancy Association
For Chiropractic Care in pregnancy and beyond, Origins Midwifery recommends
- Dr. Brittney Cicon (949) 981-8170
- Dr. Jennifer Angell (949) 338-5564