The general population knows very little about Group B Strep (GBS), and many pregnant women have never heard of it, or have only heard of it in passing. Most are shocked when, late in the third trimester their doctor or midwife ask them to be tested, and the test then comes back positive. There are many questions surrounding GBS. What is it? Is it an STD? How does it affect newborns? How is it transmitted to a newborn? How can you prevent infection, and are there alternatives to antibiotics?

What Is It?
GBS is a bacteria found in the lower intestines of 10-35% of all adults. In women it can also be found in the vagina. To test for it, your provider will swab the area between your vagina and anus and send it for a test sometime between the 35th and 37th weeks of your pregnancy. GBS should not be confused with the strep that causes sore throat, Group A Strep. GBS is not contagious, and in most cases it causes no harm to the adult that has it. However, in some cases, it can cause serious infection, known as Group B Strep disease.

Is It An STD?
Since it can be found in the vagina, many people assume that GBS is a STD, which is not true.It is simply a bacterium that is found in many people. It causes no discomfort and can not be transmitted sexually; therefore a carrier of GBS does not need to change their sexual practices.

How Does It Affect Newborns?
Approximately 8,000 babies born each year will contract a serious form of GBS disease. Of these 8,000, as many as 600 will die and another 20% will be left permanently handicapped. If a baby is infected with GBS, will appear either as an infection in the blood (sepsis), or as meningitis. It is also a frequent cause of pneumonia in newborns. It can also leave them with hearing or vision loss, as well as physical or learning disabilities.

How Is It Transmitted To A Newborn?
GBS is transmitted to a newborn during their descent through the birth canal. However, having a c-section is not recommended pas a way to prevent the infection in your baby, as the bacteria can also be found in your uterus and amniotic sac.

Prevention of Infection
If a pregnant woman tests positive for GBS, she can often be given a series of penicillin shots through an IV while in labor, prior to delivery. It is best to get these shots at least 4 hours prior to delivery. In most cases, if the woman has these shots, the baby will not be infected. If time does not permit for the woman to receive these shots, then immediately after birth the nurses will give your baby a shot of penicillin in the leg, to help prevent infection. In this case a mother will normally be asked to stay in the hospital for 48 hours in order for the neonatal team to watch the newborn for signs of infection.

Alternatives to Antibiotics
There have been no studies showing the success of alternative and/or home remedies in the prevention of the passage of GBS to your newborn. However, there are some that doctors and midwives may suggest you try.

Vaginal washing and immunotherapy have been suggested as a way to help clean out your vagina. Some practitioners have suggested supplements for the mother. These supplements include garlic, vitamin C, echinacea, and/or bee propolis. After a series of these supplements a woman can be retested to see if the bacterium has disappeared. This has worked in many, but not all cases of GBS in pregnant women.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, better know as SIDS, is defined as the sudden, unexplainable death in a child under one years of age while they are asleep. The causes and details of it are still unknown.

Today SIDS is much less prevalant in society than it was 25 years ago. In 1980 1.53 of every 1000 births ended in the death of the baby blamed on SIDS. By 2001 that number was down to just .56 deaths which is great news for parents and doctors like.

Most commonly, a parent would put their baby to bed at night, only to wake up in the morning and check on him, finding him cold and not breathing. This situation is the worst that a parent can find themselves in and often leads to the feeling of anger and self-blame, or in some cases one parent blaming another. That can lead to the demise of relationships which can then hurt other members of the family.

What Causes SIDS? The answer to that question is still being searched out. No one really knows what exactly causes SIDS or how to keep it from occurring. Researchers found a link to babies sleeping on their stomachs and the occurrence of SIDS but other than that, no link links or exact causes have been discovered. There is some evidence that babies who are born premature are at a higher risk for SIDS because they aren’t as strong as babies who are born at term.

Prevention
Why did the numbers go down and how can you prevent SIDS from coming into your home. Once the researchers discovered the link between SIDS and belly sleeping, they began suggesting that babies only be placed to sleep on their backs. It is called the “Back to Sleep” campaign and it gains strength every year. There are other things that can help prevent SIDS.

1. During pregnancy, make sure you get regular medical care helping to avoid the chance of having a premature birth.
2. Stay away from alcohol and drugs during pregnancy.�
    
3. Avoid pregnancy during the teen years. As a woman gets older the chance that she will have a baby that suffers from SIDS drops drastically. The highest number of SIDS cases happens to teenage moms.�
    
4. Wait at least a year after you have a baby to get pregnant again.�
    
5. Always place your baby to sleep on his back.�
    
6. Make sure your baby has a firm mattress without pillows, comforters, blankets and stuffed animals.�
    
7. Keep light clothing on your baby and the temperature at a comfortable level to avoid overheating.�
    
8. Avoid exposing your baby to people who smoke or environments where tobacco smoke is prevalent.�
    
9. Breastfeed your baby if possible. Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of SIDS.�
    
10. If your baby was a preemie, exposed to any substances while in the womb, was born to a teenage mother, or had a sibling who died of SIDS, consider getting a monitor that keeps track of your child’s breathing.

If you are concerned about your baby’s health or want more information about SIDS call your pediatrician or mention it at your next well-check.

“Can it be true?” many people wonder and many parents are asking. SIDS takes the life of approximately one baby born in every two thousand births every year and is one of the most mysterious childhood diseases that can affect infants. While the instances of SIDS is down since the “Back to Sleep” campaign began in the 90’s, it is still feared and brings the most questions of “why” to a new parents mouth when they go to check on their baby and their baby is no longer breathing.

Now it seems as if scientists have discovered a possible cause of SIDS that involves more than just a baby sleeping on their stomach or back. There are new tests that link a brain abnormality to some babies who have died of SIDS. It involves the part of the brain that controls breathing, arousal and other essential parts of awakening for a baby.

The abnormality is found in the base of the brain stem involving cells that creates the chemical serotonin. Serotonin transmits messages between the brain and nerve cells, and helps to tell the body when to breathe, as well as helping control blood pressure and body temperature. It is thought that when a baby has an abnormality in these cells they are not as quick to respond and it is not as easy to do things like turn their head when they are asleep which is where the increase of SIDS while babies sleep on their belly appears.

It is assumed that when a baby sleeps face down or is covered by blankets that they breathe back in exhaled carbon dioxide that they have just breathed out. Normally this would trigger the nerve cells in the brain stem and stimulate the respiratory and arousal areas of the brain to help the baby turn their head or uncover themselves. When the abnormality is present babies nerves are not triggered and they can then not adjust so that they can breathe clean air. It is thought that too much carbon dioxide in their system causes their little bodies to shut down.

The finding of this new possible cause of SIDS in babies is a huge encouragement to parents and experts around the country. Once a definite cause of SIDS is discovered then it will be possible for tests showing who is at risk to be created and a possible cure to be discovered for this terrible aspect of parenthood. Not having the fear of your baby dying while you sleep would surely help many parents, and babies sleep better and feel more rested in the long run.