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.

With the actual dictionary definition of ‘The reflex response of an infant in which the limb and neck muscles contract when the infant is allowed to drop a short distance or is startled by a sudden noise or jolt’ one might wonder if the startle reflex is dangerous for their infant. The answer is no.

Infants are born with this primitive reflex, also called the moro reflex, that helps them adapt and adjust to situations. You will often see a newborn jump when laid on a bed, even softly, showing that their muscles and reflexes are working properly. More common is having your baby startle when you start the vacuum cleaner in the room they are in, however not wake up. This is a good sign that your babies hearing is working up to par.

There are several things that may set your babies startle reflex off. They include but are definitely not limited too:

• Running the vacuum
• A telephone ringing
• Being in car seat when it is places on the floor
• Being touched while asleep
• Other children screaming
• Loud crowds
• TV/Radio turning on/off

If you aren’t sure when your newborn is demonstrating the startle reflex, look for him to quickly extend his arms and legs, and lift his neck when asleep. This may or may not also be followed by a short cry, before he is quickly quiet and back to sleep.

Generally this reflex will be apparent at birth and will generally disappear by the time your newborn is 6 months old. It can often be seen in premature babies born after week 28, as one of their first infantile reflexes.

As always, if you are concerned about any movements your baby is making, go see your pediatrician. Likewise, if you are unsure that your baby has the startle reflex, as the pediatrician at your next visit.

One of the first tests your baby will undergo while in the hospital will be a hearing test where the nurses test your baby’s ears for early signs of hearing loss. Parents can refuse this test if they prefer, but in most cases it is given to all newborns. Early detection of hearing problems is crucial in helping to prevent complete hearing loss, and giving your child a better chance at a normal life.

Testing Methods
Normally testing will first be done on your newborn before he leaves the hospital, and it is recommended that it is done while your baby sleeps. There are two ways that the doctors may test your baby’s hearing.

The first one is called otoacoustic emissions testing (OAE) and it involves the detection of emissions that are produced by a normal ear in response to incoming sounds. In order to do this the doctor or nurse will insert a small plug housing a microphone in your baby’s ear and sound is then projected into the ear via the plug. If your baby has hearing loss then no emissions will be detected.

The other common test involves auditory brainstem responses (ABR), which are measured by placing electrodes on the baby’s head. While he sleeps, sounds are introduced to the baby through tiny earphones. The electrodes then measure if the brain is detecting the sounds. Even while your baby sleeps there should be some activity in the brain if your baby can hear like normal.

If Hearing Loss Is Not Detected Early
Some parents may wonder what the big deal is if hearing loss is not detected as early as possible in their baby. The answer is simple. Babies learn speech from the sounds around them. They learn to interact and talk buy hearing other people talk. If your baby can not hear sounds, then he could have a delay in speech development making it hard to ever talk to people and interact in society. It could also lead to teasing and hurt feelings once your baby starts school.

If your baby is found to have hearing loss, it doesn’t mean that he won’t be able to go to “hearing” schools or function normally with peers his age. It just means that by taking the steps necessary as early as possible to help your baby, you can make his life a little bit easier as he transitions into the speaking world and make it a little bit easier for him to communicate with those around him.