RESUMEN
Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis [IAP] in mothers with group B streptococcus [GBS] colonization presents difficult neonatal management decisions. IAP was instituted in response to an increased incidence of early-onset group B Streptococcus sepsis [EOGBSS]. This study was planned to evaluate the outcome of these newborns. Prenatal GBS cultures were obtained from 250 mothers in their third trimester of pregnancy. Al time of delivery, GBS-positive women who had at least one risk factor were to receive IAP. Only the newborns with positive screening laboratory tests or symptoms of sepsis received further laboratory evaluation and antibiotic treatment. Two hundred mothers gave birth to 203 newborns. Thirty-three mothers [16.5%] were colonized with GBS and 12 [36.4%] had at least one risk factor. IAP was given to 10 mothers [5% of all deliveries]. Thirty-four newborns were born to 33 GBS-positive mothers. Two newborns had EOGBSS. Vertical transmission demonstrated by positive mucocutaneous cultures from newborns, was found to be inversely proportionate to the number of doses of IAP. The incidence was 12.5% in infants of GBS-positive mothers who received no IAP, 9% in those who received one dose and 0.0% in those who received two doses