What is group B streptococcus?
Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a bacterium that can be found in the digestive tract, urinary tract, and genital area of adults. Although GBS infection usually does not cause problems in healthy women before pregnancy, it can cause serious illness for the mother and baby during pregnancy and after delivery. Why is group B streptococcus a concern? One out of every four or five pregnant women carries GBS in her rectum or vagina. In the pregnant mother, GBS infection may cause chorioamnionitis (a severe infection of the placental tissues) and postpartum (after birth) infection. Urinary tract infections caused by GBS can lead to preterm labor and birth. Newborns can contract GBS during pregnancy, or from the mother’s genital tract during labor and delivery. GBS is the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborns, including pneumonia and meningitis. About one out of every 100 to 200 babies whose mothers carry GBS develop symptoms of GBS disease. Nearly 75 percent of the cases
