GBSbacteriaonlyariskduringpregnancy

then taken to a laboratory, where it is is analyzed for the presence of GBS.

GBS is not a sexually transmitted disease (STD). GBS bacteria normally live in the intestines, vagina, or rectum, and approximately 25% of all healthy women carry GBS. For all or most women there are no symptoms of carrying GBS whatsoever.

WHAT IF I TEST POSITIVE FOR GBS?

If you test positive for GBS, this simply means you are a carrier of GBS. Not every born to mothers who tests positive for GBS will become ill.

Approximately 1 out of every 200 babies whose mothers carry GBS and who are not treated with antibiotics will develop signs and symptoms of GBS infection.

There are certain situations that may indicate that you are at a higher risk of delivering a baby who may develop GBS related infections if you are a carrier of GBS; such as:

- Labour or rupture of membranes before 37 weeks gestation

- Rupture of membranes 18 hours or more before delivery - Fever during labour - A urinary tract infection as a result of GBS during your pregnancy

- Where a mother has had a previous baby with GBS

In this case your physician will want to use antibiotics to protect your baby from contracting GBS during delivery.

According to the CDC, if you have tested positive for GBS and are not high risk, your chances of delivering a baby with GBS are as follows:

- 1 in 200 if antibiotics are not given during delivery, and

- 1 in 4000 delivery if antibiotics are given during

PROTECT your BABY If you test positive for GBS and meet the high risk criteria, your physician will probably recommend giving you antibiotics through an intravenous drip during delivery in order to prevent your baby from becoming ill.

Taking antibiotics greatly decreases the chances of your baby developing early onset GBS infection. For women who are known to be GBS carriers early on in their pregnancy, the administration of antibiotics, before labor begins, does not to prevent the transmission of GBS to the baby.

This is because GBS bacteria naturally live within the gastrointestinal tract, and so colonization of the vagina can reoccur after treatment with antibiotics.

Also, women may test positive for GBS at certain times and negative at others. This is why it is important for all pregnant women to be tested for GBS between 35 to 37 weeks of every pregnancy.

HOW DOES GBS AFFECT A NEWBORN BABY?

Babies may experience early or late-onset GBS infection. The signs and symptoms of early-onset GBS infection occur within hours of delivery and include:

- Sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis (these are the most common complications of GBS infection) - Breathing problems - Heart and blood pressure instability - Gastrointestinal and kidney problems Early-onset GBS infection occurs more frequently than late-onset GBS infection and intravenous antibiotics are used to treat mothers and newborns with early-onset GBS infection.

The signs and symptoms of late-onset GBS infection, occur within a week or a few months of delivery and the most common complication from late onset GBS infection includes Meningitis

Further information is available from http:// www.groupbstrepinternational.org/

Quinoa is extremely versatile and easy to use. You can cook it and use it in much the same way as you would rice with curries, or let it cool and create some delicious salads with it. Quinoa can be used as the base ingredient for tasty and nutritious snack bars and cakes.

Quinoa is an amazing naturally gluten free food to include in your diet. But, I have to say that I find it bland on its own, some people love it. I have found some interesting recipes to create exciting and tasty dishes. I was amazed when I was given a Quinoa chocolate cake recipe. It was very easy to make, plus it looked and tasted fantastic. You wouldn’t know it was made from a seed!

The seeds are what you use to cook for meals; you can add it to soup and stews or with curries.

Quinoa is simple to cook, simply add one part seed to two parts hot water bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes approx. Rinse the seeds well before using. When it’s cold you can use it to make your salad, or to make a cake or snack bars. Quinoa comes in white, red or brown. You’ll also find flakes from which you can make porridge, or add to bread. You’ll also find ready-made pasta, crackers, biscuits, and breakfast cereals.

Give Quinoa a chance; you’ll be glad you did.