The Pregnancy Of A Bacteria Called Group Beta...

Modern day science has allowed us to make pregnancy and childbirth safer and more predictable than ever. However, we are not invincible to the many organisms that share our world and they can pose some serious risks for both the mother and the infant during this critical period in life. One such risk that many mothers don’t think about is the potential colonization of a bacteria called Group Beta Streptococcus (GBS) in their body during pregnancy, specifically around the time of birth. Lab testing and antibiotic prophylaxis can be thought of as risk-management and has proven to be effective at reducing GBS infection rates in infants born through the vaginal canal of mothers who are GBS carriers. Group Beta Streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria that is found in the vagina and rectum of 10-30% of all women. This bacteria comes and goes as it is normal flora for women, similar to yeast. Although most are asymptomatic, some may experience urinary tract infections while the bacteria is present in their body. Although GBS does not present much of a problem to the carrier, this specific bacteria can cause much harm to a newborn who passes through the vaginal canal during birth (ACOG, 2011). Pregnant women can take advantage of modern day screening procedures that look for the presence of GBS in late pregnancy to determine if antibiotic prophylaxis is warranted. It is approximated that 50% of all newborns will colonize GBS on their skin during a vaginal birth. However, colonization