Group B Streptococcus colonization status and antibiotic use during labour - a single-centre observational study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Neonatal Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in pregnant women is a primary cause of neonatal infections.
• Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) is critical for reducing neonatal sepsis.
• Understanding GBS management compliance is essential for optimizing neonatal outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess compliance with GBS screening and management protocols in pregnant women.
• To evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of IAP.
• To analyze the long-term impact of antibiotic use in GBS management.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 249 childbearing women at University Clinical Center in Gdansk, Poland.
• Data collected via questionnaires and medical records.
• Analysis of GBS colonization, screening compliance, risk factors, IAP administration, and neonatal infection rates.

Main Results:

• High compliance with GBS screening (96.4%), with most screened between 35-37 weeks gestation.
• 20% of women were GBS-positive; no significant differences in infant infection rates regardless of GBS status or IAP.
• Low positive and high negative predictive values observed for antenatal GBS screening tests.

Conclusions:

• Widespread compliance with universal GBS screening was observed.
• Risk factor assessment is necessary for IAP in cases of absent or partial GBS screening.
• Current GBS management strategies show high screening adherence but require nuanced IAP decisions.