title: Maternal colonization by group B streptococci and puerperal infection; analysis of intrapartum chemoprophylaxis.
abstract: In a population of 1011 puerperal women, the significance of rectovaginal colonization by group B streptococci during pregnancy with respect to infective puerperal morbidity was analyzed. Patients who were found to be carriers during pregnancy (121) were randomly divided into two groups: women who received ampicillin during delivery (500 mg i.v./6 h) and patients without chemoprophylaxis. Compared with the non-carriers, the carrier patients without prophylaxis had a significant increase in the mild puerperal infective morbidity, when defined as the proportion of women with an index fever greater than or equal to 10 (10.6% vs. 25%). However, the increased incidence among the carrier women of premature rupture of the membranes and of other possible morbidity factors made it impossible to identify the role of group B streptococci. Mild puerperal infective morbidity in the carrier women who received prophylaxis was lower than in those without prophylaxis and very similar to that of non-carrier women. It is concluded that the use of chemoprophylaxis to prevent neonatal sepsis would probably be followed by a reduction in infectious puerperal morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital La Paz, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matorras
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Perea
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madero
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Usandizaga
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011645:Puerperal Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000187:drug effects*; D014621:Vagina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000667:Ampicillin