Understanding Group B Strep and Placenta Encapsulation: The Facts Behind the Fear
It drives me absolutely bananas that when my clients test positive for Group B Strep (GBS), their care providers consistently give them inaccurate information. I swear, some docs believe they know everything. And even if they don’t believe that, they want us to. It’s really twisted.
With work such as this, when one thing goes wrong, the entire industry is affected. But before we dive into the controversy, let’s make sure we understand what GBS actually is, how it’s tested, and why the fear surrounding placenta encapsulation is largely unfounded.
What is Group B Strep?
GBS is a naturally occurring bacteria found in the gastrointestinal and genital tracts of humans and some other mammals. Estimates suggest that 35-40% of adult humans carry GBS in their bodies. The tricky thing is that levels of GBS bacteria fluctuate over time; someone could test positive at 35 weeks and negative at 37, or vice versa.
Being "colonized" simply means you are carrying the bacteria. It does **not** mean you have an active infection. However, because newborns are born with immature immune systems that don’t fully kick in until about 2-3 months old, providers want to ensure babies aren’t burdened by bacterial exposure during birth.
Testing Approaches Around the World
Your provider will screen for GBS around week 36 of your pregnancy to assess bacterial levels in the birth canal. If levels exceed a certain threshold, you’re considered colonized. If your baby travels through the birth canal while colonization is present, there is a possibility of transmission.
However, not every country handles this the same way:
Universal Precautions (The U.S. Method)
Here in the United States, we use universal precautions. Everyone is tested between 35-37 weeks. If you test positive for colonization, you are treated with IV antibiotics during labor to prevent transmission.
Risk-Based Approach (International Standard)
Many other nations utilize a risk-based approach, administering antibiotics only when specific risk factors are present:
GBS is detected in your urine at any stage of pregnancy.
There has been a previous infant GBS infection.
Cases of preterm labor (before 37 weeks), as heavy colonization can contribute to this.
Maternal fever during labor.
Prolonged membrane rupture exceeding 18 hours.
The 2016 Oregon Incident: Separating Fact from Fiction
When people Google “Is placenta encapsulation safe,” they often stumble upon info about a 2016 case involving an Oregon mother whose baby experienced two separate GBS infections. This single incident is frequently cited as proof that placenta pills are dangerous. Let’s look at the actual details.
The Timeline
The first evidence of GBS infection manifested shortly after birth, while mom and baby were still in the hospital—before mom had taken her placenta pills. The baby was treated with antibiotics and sent home healthy. Five days after discharge, the infant developed symptoms again and was diagnosed with late-onset GBS infection. The baby was treated with antibiotics and fully recovered. Contrary to what many providers imply, the baby did not die. There is not a single documented case of anyone ever dying due to placenta pills.
The Test Results
Mom did not test positive at her 37-week GBS screening. Because she tested negative, she was not treated with antibiotics during labor.
Mom’s breast milk tested negative for GBS.
Other family members were not tested.
Mom’s placenta capsules did test positive for GBS.
This suggests that while mom tested negative at 37 weeks, she may have been positive at the time of birth (since GBS levels fluctuate). However, since her breast milk was negative, there is no direct evidence she passed the infection via nursing.
Analyzing Transmission Possibilities
Does this mean the placenta pills caused the reinfection? Unlikely. It just doesn’t make sense biologically.
1. Stomach Acid: GBS bacteria would not survive the acid in mom’s stomach.
2. Breast Milk Logic: If mom’s breast milk tested negative for GBS, how would she pass the bacteria to the baby through ingestion? If there were sufficient GBS levels in her system to infect her infant via pills, her breast milk testing would likely have been positive as well.
3. Other Vectors: Late-onset GBS is very difficult to trace. Possible scenarios include:
Incomplete eradication of the initial infection after the first antibiotic course.
Transmission from other colonized family members (the CDC specifically noted that "transmission from other colonized family members could not be ruled out"). Imagine a family member handling the pill jar without washing their hands after using the restroom.
The fact that the baby was already showing signs of infection *before* consuming any pills suggests the source was likely environmental or maternal during birth, not the pills consumed weeks later.
As the scientific principle states: Correlation does not equal causation. This 2016 incident is an isolated case report, not a scientific study. There have been no similar incidents before or since.
Expert Medical Opinion
Dr. Genevieve Buser, the infectious disease/pediatric specialist who treated the infected infant and co-authored the CDC report on the case, stated she is “not necessarily recommending against placenta encapsulation."*
If even the lead doctor treating the infant isn’t advocating for a blanket prohibition of placenta consumption for GBS-positive mothers, why do so many healthcare providers continue to scare their clients? Do they possess superior medical knowledge to the CDC investigators? If so, that information should be shared with the broader medical community. 😉
Safety Protocols: Why Encapsulation is Safe
Let’s say hypothetically that the pills were to blame in that one case. How can we be confident in safety today?
GBS bacteria flourish in moist heat environments and cannot survive proper encapsulation processes. All placentas I process are steamed gently before dehydration. For clients who test positive for GBS, I allow for additional steaming to ensure the internal temperature of the placenta reaches 165°F. Furthermore, all placentas dehydrate at 165°F for approximately 12 hours until completely moisture-free (verified by the snap test).
If the 2016 case was indeed due to capsule consumption—which remains unproven—it would indicate that the person who processed that specific placenta did not follow industry-standard safety protocols. Proper processing kills the bacteria.
The Breastfeeding Double Standard
Consider this: If GBS can show up in breastmilk, why are mothers who test positive still encouraged to breastfeed? About 25-30% of mothers test positive for GBS, and most go on to breastfeed. If it were easy to transmit GBS to a baby, we would see massive infection rates among breastfed infants. Yet, there are zero documented cases of GBS transmission through breastfeeding.
Just like there are zero documented cases of transmission through properly prepared placenta pills.
So why warn women not to take placenta pills when we continue to encourage them to breastfeed? It feels like there might be some bias, judgment, and/or power-tripping going on here.
Conclusion
I have safely processed hundreds of placentas after moms tested positive for GBS, as have encapsulators all over the world. Most care providers don’t bat an eye when a GBS-positive mom wants to consume her placenta.
There is not a single documented case of a mother getting sick after taking placenta pills created from a GBS-positive placenta. No babies have developed health issues directly related to mom taking her pills.
I encourage you to trust your gut. Take all of the evidence into consideration—the lack of causal link, the survival impossibility of bacteria in processed pills, and the expert opinions—and make the informed choice that feels right for you. That, my friend, is at the core of mothering. Tap into and trust your instincts. You know what is best for you.
References
Breast milk and Group B streptococcal infection: Vector of transmission or vehicle for protection?
