Prevalence of Group B Streptococcus in pregnant women at 24-34 weeks of gestation, with symptoms of preterm labor with and without rupture of membrane

Introduction: Group B streptococci (GBS) is as an important cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. GBS is colonized in 10-30 of pregnant women in the vagina or rectum. Transfer of mother-to-child GBS during delivery may result in invasive infection in the newborn during the first week of life. This study was performed with aim to compare the prevalence of GBS in pregnant women with gestational age of 24-34 weeks with symptoms of preterm labor with and without rupture of the membrane. Methods: This case-control study was performed on 50 pregnant women with gestational age of 24-34 weeks referred to Imam Reza (AS) Educational and Medical Center of Kermanshah with signs of preterm delivery in 2016. The subjects were divided into two groups of with rupture of membrane (case) and without rupture of the membrane (control). From the study population, the GBS cultures were collected at admission time from the vagina and were transferred to the medium. The results of culture and demographic information of mothers were compared in two groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 20) and chi-square and t-test. PResults: There was no significant difference in maternal age (P=0.246), gravidity (P=0.523), gestational age (P=0.716), and history of preterm delivery in previous pregnancies (P=0.942) between two groups of with and without rupture of the membrane. 2 cases (8) of mothers with rupture of membrane and 1 case (4) of mothers without rupture of membrane had positive GBS cultures, and the overall prevalence of GBS was estimated 6. Conclusion: The frequency of positive GBS culture is higher than in pregnant women with rupture of membrane than in pregnant mothers without rupture of membrane