ABSTRACT

Group B streptococcus (GBS) has been found in the genital and gastrointestinal tracts of healthy women. The primary outcome of the study was to compare GBS carriage rates in diabetic and non-diabetic pregnant women. The secondary outcome was to investigate the relation between GBS carriage rates and HbA1c levels in diabetic women, admission of neonatal intensive care unit, and premature birth rates in previous deliveries.

This is a prospective cohort study on term non-diabetic pregnant women and diabetic singleton pregnancies followed by maternal-fetal unit performed between August 2016 and November 2016 at a tertiary hospital in Istanbul. Vaginal and rectal swab samples were collected before servicovaginal examination from the patients admitted for labor. Wile the dependent variable was GBS colonization frequency, the independent variables were age, gravida, presence of diabetus mellitus, antibiotic prophylaxis, previous neonatal sepsis, and preterm birth.

Of the 213 patients, 113 were diabetic and 100 were nondiabetic. Vaginal cultures were positive in 8 (3.8%) patients, whereas rectal cultures were positive in 5 (2.3%). The rate of totalF culture positivity was 5.6%. In one patient, both vaginal and rectal GBS were positive. In diabetic and control groups, there was no significant difference in terms of preterm birth rates. In both culture-positive and negative groups, preterm birth rates, neonatal intensive care unit admission rates, and HgbA1c levels were not significantly different.

Although Turkish population has low risk in terms of GBS infection, to control maternal-fetal mortality and mobidity, the routine use of guidelines for the detection of third trimester GBS colonization can be useful.