Maternal group B streptococcal colonization and preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes.

Abstract

The problem. Group B Streptococci (GBS) are one of the most frequent causes of life-threatening infections in newly born infants, who acquire the micro-organism while passing through the genital tracts of their asymptomatic colonized mothers. Some previous studies have suggested that maternal genital colonization by GBS is associated with preterm rupture of the fetal membranes and preterm delivery. In this thesis both a prevalence study and a historical cohort study were conducted, to investigate the prevalence of maternal GBS colonization at 28 weeks of gestation, and whether there is an association between colonization and preterm rupture of the fetal membranes. Background information. Different rates for maternal GBS colonization during pregnancy have been reported, ranging from 4.6% up to 40%. The association between maternal GBS colonization and preterm rupture of the membranes has been reported in some studies, but other studies have not supported this view, which led to differsnces in opinions and the lack of a specific conclusion. The variations in the findings of these studies may have been due to several factors, which include differences in cultured sites and phase of pregnancy at which culture was obtained, in addition to the wide variations in the definition of premature rupture of the membranes used by various authors. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)