The effect of group B streptococcus on maternal and infants' prognosis in Guizhou, China

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a kind of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria and mainly strikes the lower digestive tract and genitourinary tract. It is a major risk factor for neonatal babies, seriously threatening their lives. In the present study, we aimed to detect the GBS colonization in late pregnant women, and to study the effect of GBS on maternal and infants' prognosis. Pregnant women with a gestational age of 35-37 weeks were enrolled in the study. Real-time polymerase chain-reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the colonization of GBS in the vaginal and rectal secretions for late pregnant women according to the screening guidelines. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the relationship between GBS colonization and clinical characteristics. A follow-up of 6 weeks was performed on the puerpera and infants after delivery. The positive rate of GBS was 12.6% in late pregnant women. GBS carrier state was positively related to several pregnancy outcomes, including intrauterine infection, premature rupture of membranes, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal distress and puerperal infection, as well as to part neonatal outcomes, containing neonatal infection, neonatal pneumonia and neonatal sepsis (all P < 0.05). GBS infection in late pregnant women results in adverse effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes.