Probiotics and Strep B

Today, Dr. Gray's office called to schedule the ultrasound for Reid's heart. They couldn't get me in any earlier than when Allen would be home- so we got the appointment for the same day as my regular baby appointment. For the ultrasound, we will be going to the hospital- and Dr. Gray, who is the high risk doctor, will be doing the ultrasound, and hopefully not finding anything wrong with Reid. With all of this going on today, I've been researching other things- Strep B infection with pregnant women. I tested positive for it when I was pregnant with Hayleigh, and have been looking into what I can do to keep from having it again this time. Here is an briefing on what it is, etc:

What is group B streptococcus?

Group B strep (GBS) is a kind of bacteria that many people harbor in their intestinal tracts. The bacteria may also inhabit (or "colonize") your vagina as well, and be passed on to your baby during labor and birth. 

Approximately 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women carry GBS in the vagina or rectum or surrounding area. While GBS is generally harmless in healthy adults, it may cause stillbirth and serious infections in babies.

Sexual transmission of group B strep is possible, but group B strep is not considered a sexually transmitted infection because your genital area may be colonized by bacteria you carry in your own gastrointestinal tract. It's also not the same as group A strep, the bacteria that usually cause strep throat.

I asked my midwife about this on my first visit with her, asking what my chances were to having it again, since taking antibiotics can help lead to this since they destroy all bacteria. She told me to check into taking probiotics- that research from Denver University had shown for it to help decrease chances for testing positive to it. 

So, here I am ready to get all kinds of vitamins ordered- I can get the stuff from Walmart, and studies have also shown to increase dairy intake, and to eat yogurt daily too. I already have some yogurt here, and plan on eating it like there is no tomorrow, since I've had to be on antibiotics twice now- once for my teeth, and another time during this pregnancy for sinus infection. I don't want to be in the hospital for 3 days again, like I was with Hayleigh, so I will be doing everything in my power to try to prevent this, since I will be tested in approximately 8-10 wks from now. 

I also thought this was interesting, since I have psoriasis, and psoriasis is linked to the immune system- if you have a weaker immune system, or suppressed immune system, it doesn't flare up quite so much. Makes me wonder if my psoriasis had anything to do with having tested positive for Strep B last time.. I guess until we know for sure, I'm just going to try all that I can to keep my digestive track healthy!

Probiotics are believed to protect us in two ways. The first is the role that they play in our digestive tract. We know that our digestive tract needs a healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria, so what gets in the way of this? It looks like our lifestyle is both the problem and the solution. Poor food choices, emotional stress, lack of sleep, antibiotic overuse, other drugs, and environmental influences can all shift the balance in favor of the bad bacteria.

When the digestive tract is healthy, it filters out and eliminates things that can damage it, such as harmful bacteria, toxins, chemicals, and other waste products. On the flip side, it takes in the things that our body needs (nutrients from food and water) and absorbs and helps deliver them to the cells where they are needed.

The idea is not to kill off all of the bad bacteria. Our body does have a need for the bad ones and the good ones. The problem is when the balance is shifted to have more bad than good. An imbalance has been associated with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, muscle pain, and fatigue.

The other way that probiotics help is the impact that they have on our immune system. Some believe that this role is the most important. Our immune system is our protection against germs. When it doesn't function properly, we can suffer from allergic reactions, autoimmune disorders (for example, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and rheumatoid arthritis), and infections (for example, infectious diarrhea, Helicobacter pylori, skin infections, and vaginal infections). By maintaining the correct balance from birth, the hope would be to prevent these ailments. Our immune system can benefit anytime that balanced is restored, so it's never too late.