Group B Streptococcus Infection in Pregnancy

Group B streptococcus (GBS), or Streptococcus agalactiae, has been a continuing focus of debate in the paediatric and obstetric worlds. The organism has emerged as the leading cause of early-onset neonatal sepsis. With an average of 20% of mothers being carriers for the organism (range from 15–40%), the following questions remain to be answered:1 How best to screen for GBS and which protocol to use?2 How best to counsel patients who are GBS carriers?3 What is the cost effectiveness of the screening protocols?

Download Full-text

Diagnosis and Management of Group B Streptococcus in Pregnancy

Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America ◽

10.1016/j.ogc.2014.08.009 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 629-647 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Homa K. Ahmadzia ◽

R. Phillips Heine

Keyword(s):

Group B Streptococcus ◽

Diagnosis And Management ◽

Group B ◽

In Pregnancy

Download Full-text

Infections in pregnancy

Oxford Textbook of Medicine ◽

10.1093/med/9780199204854.003.1415_update_001 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 2165-2172

Author(s):

Lawrence Impey

Keyword(s):

Perinatal Death ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

Treponema Pallidum ◽

Neonatal Infection ◽

In Utero ◽

Carrier Status ◽

Maternal Illness ◽

Group B ◽

Transplacental Infection ◽

In Pregnancy

Maternal illness is often more severe in pregnancy, e.g. varicella, malaria, and the treatment of infections in pregnancy is complicated by potential effects of drugs on the fetus. Peri- and postpartum maternal infection is a major cause of maternal mortality. The effects of infection in pregnancy can be broadly categorized as follows (these are not mutually exclusive): (1) transplacental infection causing fetal malformation, e.g. treponema pallidum, rubella; (2) transplacental infection causing severe in utero illness, e.g. parvovirus; (3) neonatal infection / carrier status as a result of transplacental or intrapartum infection, e.g. HIV, herpes zoster; such neonatal infection may be severe; (4) preterm delivery, late miscarriage, perinatal death and cerebral palsy at term delivery are more common in the presence of in utero and placental infection (chorioamnionitis), e.g. Group B streptococcus....

Download Full-text

Fetal effects of maternal infection

Oxford Textbook of Medicine ◽

10.1093/med/9780198746690.003.0278 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 2678-2686

Author(s):

Lawrence Impey

Keyword(s):

Perinatal Death ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

Treponema Pallidum ◽

Neonatal Infection ◽

In Utero ◽

Carrier Status ◽

Maternal Infection ◽

Group B ◽

Transplacental Infection ◽

In Pregnancy

This chapter looks at the fetal effects of maternal infection. Immunity is mildly suppressed in pregnancy, and the fetal immune system is developmentally immature. Infections in pregnancy can therefore be devastating both for the mother, as is occasionally seen with varicella, and for the fetus, as exemplified by congenital infections such as those caused by rubella, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis. The fetal effects of maternal infection in pregnancy can be broadly categorized as follows (these are not mutually exclusive): transplacental infection causing fetal malformation (e.g. treponema pallidum, rubella); transplacental infection causing severe in utero illness (e.g. parvovirus); neonatal infection/carrier status as a result of transplacental or intrapartum infection (e.g. HIV, herpes zoster); such neonatal infection may be severe; preterm delivery, late miscarriage, perinatal death, and cerebral palsy at term delivery are more common in the presence of in utero and placental infection (chorioamnionitis) (e.g. group B streptococcus).

Download Full-text