title: [Pregnant women themselves can take specimens for identification of group B streptococci carriers].
abstract: Prenatal screening for group B streptococcus colonisation in pregnant women is controversial, though recommended in some countries. We aimed to compare the detection rate when pregnant women performed their own vaginal/anorectal swabs with the standard practice of physician obtained swabs. During six months, 89 pregnant women with high risk for premature labor collected their own vaginal/anorectal swab after instruction from a midwife. Afterwards a physician took a similar sample among 80 of the women. All together, 30 (34%) out of 89 women were carriers of group B streptococcus. Comparing the efficacy of the sampling procedures among 80 women who had taken both tests, we found that 25 of 26 positive cultures were identified by self-collected samples, while 17 out of 26 were identified by samples collected by the physicians. The difference in sensitivity (96% vs 65%) was statistically significant (p < 0.001) with a kappa value of 0.68. Self-collected vaginal/anorectal swabs for the identification of group B streptococcus carriers are at least as sensitive as the practice of physician performed swabs.
authors.affiliation: Kvinneklinikken, Regionsykehuset i Trondheim.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Salvesen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dahlø
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bevanger
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012648:Self Care; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*