Saturday, January 05, 2008

GBS-Positive Treatment Plan

Reposted with permission from Barb Herrera of Ama Mama.

GBS-Positive Treatment Plan from Ama Mama Holistic Health Care

This plan was developed by a pregnant woman in San Francisco who tested positive for Group Beta Streptococcus. She was planning a home birth and wanted to avoid hospitalization and antibiotic treatment. She successfully eliminated the bacteria from her genital and anal tracts.

We received this plan in 2001. At the time, this client's midwife has used this treatment method successfully with two additional GBS-positive mothers and was working with a fourth woman who had elected to use this same method. This method purportedly takes approximately three (3) weeks to obtain negative cultures, but each successive culture showed less GBS growth.

After this course of treatment is completed, you and your midwife can then perform a culture weekly to see if the bacteria levels are decreasing. The reading closest to time of delivery is purportedly the most reliable. It is recommended that, if this course of treatment proves successful at eliminating GBS from the vaginal/rectal tract, the regimen be continued until delivery to decrease the likelihood of GBS being present in your vaginal tract at the time of delivery. You may also want to consider separate cultures for the vagina and rectum; the risk of neonatal GBS infection is less if GBS is present only in the rectum (and not the vagina) although extra precautions remain necessary.

We at Ama Mama offer this information as a prenatal alternative to women who have tested positive as a GBS carrier. It is not endorsed or recommended by Ama Mama or the Center for Disease Control. It is suggested that you take the following supplements and remedies, as directed, for three weeks. As with any treatment, please discontinue use and contact your health care provider immediately if any adverse effects are noted. Thank you.

1. Twice a day, with breakfast and dinner:
Acidophilus or pro-biotic supplement: 4 billion cells per dose
Echinacea: Two 350 mg (each) capsules
Garlic: Two 580 mg (each) capsules
Vitamin C: 500-2000 mg (0.5-2 grams), with 200 mg bioflavonoids
Grapefruit seed extract: 15 drops

2. Once per day for 3 days, once per week thereafter: Homeopathic Streptococcynum 200X

3. Once per day (until finished): Herbal-C suppositories, by Bezweken

6 comments:

  1. What are Herbal-C suppositories? I found the Bezweken website, but the search for suppositories didn't have any results.

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  2. This seems really wonderful...what do you think about everyone doing it as a precaution, if they do not test?

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  3. Housefairy, I think that would be entirely prudent. The supplements are all pretty normal things anyway, and worst case you took extra probiotics & vitamins that you didn't necessarily "need."

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  4. Greetings!

    I just wanted to pop in and say that I gave birth to a healthy baby Boy on the very date you posted this. Although my regimin for taking probiotics differed from this, I also used the chlorhexidine vaginal wash and my sweet little boy is negative for GBS.

    Alternative methods can and DO work!

    Peace~ ~Karin~

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  5. Karin, congrats on your new (and GBS free) baby!

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  6. Thanks so much for sharing all of your findings! I just found out I'm GBS positive, so am working on how to prevent passing it on without taking antibiotics. Your notes are a god send!

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