title: Cost-effectiveness of intrapartum screening and treatment for maternal group B streptococci colonization.
abstract: Early-onset neonatal group B streptococci infection occurs in two cases per 1000 live births in the United States and is associated with a mortality rate greater than 20%. Nearly 30% of infected infants have concomitant meningitis and half suffer permanent neurologic damage. Group B streptococci also account for at least 20% of postpartum metritis. The annual cost of group B streptococci infection in the United States is conservatively estimated at nearly 2000 neonatal deaths and greater than $500 million, excluding the costs of long-term neurologic handicaps. Intrapartum chemoprophylaxis with ampicillin is effective in curtailing transmission of group B streptococci from mother to infant. Methods have been developed to identify maternal colonization before delivery. We applied principles of decision analysis to evaluate cost-effectiveness of intrapartum screening for maternal group B streptococci colonization with various reported methods in cohorts of low- and high-risk women. In the United States intrapartum screening for group B streptococci is cost-effective and offers the potential to avert a significant number of neonatal deaths and postpartum infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, USAF Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX 78236-5300.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Strickland
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Yeomans
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Hankins
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D016019:Survival Analysis