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Group B Streptococcal Disease in the Perinatal Period

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Maternal Child

Maternal Child HealthPerinatologist Corner ‹ C.E.U./C.M.E. Modules

Perinatologist Corner - C.E.U/C.M.E. Modules

Group B Streptococcal Disease in the Perinatal Period

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7. I.H.S. on-line resources

For additional resources please go to 8 Other Online Resources.

A.C.O.G

A.C.O.G./I.H.S. Postgraduate Reference Text

2003 A.C.O.G. / I.H.S. Reference Text Online: GBS in Pregnancy, pp 23-26 (pdf 979k)

UpToDate

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Group B streptococcal infection in neonates, young infants and pregnant women
Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov UpToDate software 13.1, 2005.

Group B streptococcal infection in neonates and young infants Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

Group B streptococcal infections in nonpregnant adults Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

Chemoprophylaxis for the prevention of neonatal group B streptococcal disease Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

Microbiology and epidemiology of group B streptococcal infection Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

Vaccines for the prevention of group B streptococcal disease Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

Other

Management of premature rupture of the fetal membranes at term Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

Preterm premature rupture of membranes Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

Cochrane Library

*Intrapartum antibiotics for Group B streptococcal colonisation (Cochrane Review). Smaill F. In: The Cochrane Library, Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Issue 1, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

Implications for practice
The available evidence suggests that sweeping the membranes promotes the onset of labour. For women thought to require induction of labour, a reduction in the use of more formal methods of induction could be expected. For women near the term in an uncomplicated pregnancy there seems to be little justification for performing routine sweeping of membranes. Sweeping of the membranes is probably safe, provided that the intervention is avoided in pregnancies complicated by placenta praevia or when contraindication for labour and/or vaginal delivery are present. There is no evidence that sweeping the membranes increases the risk of maternal and neonatal infection, or of premature rupture of the membranes. However, women's discomfort during the procedure and other side effects must be balanced with the expected benefits before submitting women to sweeping of the membranes.

*Membrane sweeping for induction of labour. (Cochrane Review). Boulvain M, Stan C, Irion O. In: The Cochrane Library, Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Issue 1, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

Implications for practice (NB: pre-revised 2002 CDC guidelines)
The results of this review suggest intrapartum antibiotic treatment of women colonized with group B streptococcus will reduce infant colonization and neonatal infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1996 include in their guidelines the recommendation that any woman in preterm labour ( <37 weeks) and any woman who is known to be colonized with GBS receive intrapartum antibiotics and that antibiotics also be given to any woman with intrapartum fever or prolonged rupture of membranes if culture results are not available. Other expert guidelines do not advocate the administration of intrapartum antibiotics to all colonized women unless recognized risk factors are present. Good evidence to support any one strategy is not available from controlled trials.

*Antibiotics for prelabour rupture of membranes at or near term (Cochrane Review). Flenady V, King J. In: The Cochrane Library, Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Issue 1, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

Implications for practice
Until more reliable evidence is available indicating overall benefit from prelabour prophylactic antibiotics for term PROM it would seem prudent that their routine use be avoided.

*Antibiotics for preterm premature rupture of membranes (Cochrane Review). Kenyon S, Boulvain M, Neilson J. In: The Cochrane Library, Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Issue 1, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

Implications for practice
Antibiotic treatment following pPROM is associated with statistically significant delay in delivery reductions in major markers of neonatal morbidity (although not perinatal mortality). This delay in delivery would allow sufficient time for prophylactic prenatal corticosteroids to take effect. These data support the routine use of antibiotics in this clinical situation. There is, however, the disquieting finding of increased necrotising enterocolitis with the use of augmentin, which would strengthen the case for the use of a macrolide antibiotic such as erythromycin.

*Prophylactic antibiotics for inhibiting preterm labour with intact membranes (Cochrane Review). King J, Flenady V. In: The Cochrane Library, Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Issue 1, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

Implications for practice
Prophylactic antibiotics cannot be recommended in the routine management of women in preterm labour with intact membranes.

*Antibiotic prophylaxis for cesarean section (Cochrane Review). Smaill F, Hofmeyr GJ. In: The Cochrane Library, Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Issue 1, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

Implications for practice
Prophylactic antibiotics will reduce the incidence of endometritis following both elective and non-elective cesarean section by two thirds to three quarters and the incidence of wound infection by up to three quarters. Post-partum febrile morbidity and the incidence of urinary tract infections are also decreased.

Fewer serious complications will occur. All units should have a policy that recommends the administration of prophylactic antibiotics for women undergoing cesarean section. Obstetrical units should collect information on infection rates following cesarean section as an important quality indicator.

*Prophylactic antibiotic administration in pregnancy to prevent infectious morbidity and mortality (Cochrane Review). Thinkhamrop J, Hofmeyr GJ, Adetoro O, Lumbiganon P. In: The Cochrane Library, Exit Disclaimer – You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Issue 1, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

Implications for practice
High risk women should be considered for antibiotic prophylaxis during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. We do not have enough data to recommend routine use of antibiotics for pregnant women in general.

* Notes: The resources above are available only if you have reached this page from the I.H.S. wide-area network (W.A.N.)

6. Other clinical pearls: Frequently asked GBS questions ‹ Previous | Next › 8. Other on-line resources and patient education

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