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Updated: Sep 27, 2026
A Murine Model of Group B Streptococcus Vaginal Colonization
Published on: November 16, 2016
Screening strategies for group B streptococcus in the third trimester of pregnancy
1cnmmary@erols.com
Insights
Preventing neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis requires effective screening. While no single method is universally agreed upon, implementing culture-based or risk-factor-based protocols can significantly reduce infant GBS infections.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Infectious Disease Prevention
Background:
- Neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis poses a significant threat, historically causing thousands of infections, deaths, and long-term disabilities in infants annually.
- Various professional organizations have developed guidelines for screening pregnant women to prevent intrapartum GBS transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a literature review to identify the optimal screening protocol for preventing neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature review was performed, selecting relevant research articles, medical texts, and online resources.
Main Results:
- Multiple professional bodies, including the CDC, AAP, ACOG, and ACNM, have proposed guidelines for GBS screening and prevention.
- Despite studies comparing different prevention methods, a definitive consensus on the superiority of one approach over another has not been reached.
Conclusions:
- Implementing a standardized screening protocol is crucial for preventing GBS transmission from mother to infant.
- Clinicians are advised to adopt either universal culture-based or risk factor-based screening strategies for prenatal diagnosis and intrapartum prophylaxis of GBS disease.
Purpose:
To identify the best screening protocol to prevent neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis through literature review.
Data Sources:
Selected research articles, texts, and Internet sources.
Conclusions:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) have issued guidelines describing methods to identify pregnant women at risk of intrapartum transmission of GBS to their babies. Studies have been conducted to discover the superiority of one prevention method over the other but no consensus has been reached.
Implications For Practice:
Before widely used prevention methods, approximately 8,000 babies each year became infected with GBS; of those, 400 died and many survivors suffered life-long sequelae. Adoption of an appropriate protocol can prevent transmission of GBS from a colonized mother to her infant. Clinicians should implement either universal culture-based or risk factor-based screening guidelines for prenatal diagnosis and intrapartum prophylaxis of GBS disease.
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