A Study prevalence and reproductive health status for pregnant women with B group streptococcus

Abstract

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in pregnant women is a risk factor for causing infection in neonates; therefore, GBS screening tests are performed on them. Aim: To study the prevalence and reproductive health status of group B streptococci (GBS) in Inner Mongolian Chinese pregnant women and associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: One thousand and seven hundred eighty two women attending antenatal outpatient/inpatient department between 35-37 weeks of gestation were enrolled in the study. All enrolled subjects were assessed by demographics, socio-economic characteristics, education, obstetric history and clinical outcome. Two cotton swabs each from lower vagina and rectum were collected and plated on selective solid media CHROM agar Strept B (CHROMagarTM) and selective Enrichment Broth LIM Ramba QUICK StreptB broth (CHROMagarTM). All presumptively identified GBS were confirmed as group B streptococcus by bacteriological analysis. Results: The recto vaginal colonization rate of GBS in this study was observed as 4.9% (n=87). The highest prevalence was found in the “30-34 years” age group (9.4, 95% CI: 8.5–10.4%), while the lowest prevalence was found in the “younger than 24 years” age group (7.5, 95% CI: 6.3–8.6%) based on the PCR method. GBS colonization was significantly associated with nulliparous women (p= 0.003), abortion (p=0.001) and number of pregnancy (p=0.002) GBS urinary tract infections was also seen more commonly in women with GBS rectovaginal colonization (p=0.002). Conclusion: The incidence and prevalence of group B streptococcal colonization among pregnant women born between 2019 and 2023 at the Chifeng University AfÏliated Hospital in Inner Mongolia, China, is comparable to the prevalence in central and southern China, but four times lower than the global average. The incidence of group B streptococcus in pregnant women seems to increase every year, even if the number of newborns has declined over the past five years. The frequency of pregnancy, delivery, and abortion is positively correlated with the incidence of group B streptococcal colonization.