Premature rupture of membrane, pre-term labor and group B streptococcus colonisation

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted on pregnant women to determine the incidence of group B streptococcus [GBS] colonisation in the vaginal and urine flora and its association with premature rupture of membrane [PROM], preterm labor [PTL], and both of them. A conventional method and rapid agglutination latex test were used. In 204 pregnant women, GBS was carried vaginally in 17.2%, in the urine of 7.8% and both in 5.4%. Follow up till confinement revealed that vaginal carriage was associated with a lower risk than urine carriage [PROM in 11.4% versus 31.3%, preterm labor in 5.7% versus 18.7% and both in 5.7% versus 12.5%]. IN another group of patients, GBS were found in the urine in 64 of 725 [8.8%] cases. These 64 positive cases were randomised to receive either penicillin [subgroup I, 34 patients] or placebo [subgroup II, 30 patients] and were followed up till confinement Subgroup I was found to have a significantly lower incidence of PROM [8.8% versus 26.7%,], preterm labor [5.9% versus 20.0% and both [5.9% versus 23.3%] than subgroup II [P<0.01]. The study concluded that, early detection, efficient treatment and follow up to prevent GBS recolonisation in the urine during prenatal care, can reduce the incidence of premature rupture of membrane and preterm labor