Incidence of intrapartum maternal risk factors for identifying neonates at risk for early-onset group B streptococcal sepsis: A prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
In mid-1996 and early 1997, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all published guidelines outlining 2 potential strategies for the purpose of preventing neonatal sepsis caused by group B Streptococcus. One of these approaches involves treating pregnant women intrapartum with antibiotics if any of the following risk factors develop: delivery at <37 weeks' gestation, membrane rupture for >/=18 hours' duration, or temperature during labor of >/=38 degrees C. However, to date there have been no population-based studies that have ascertained the percentage of pregnant women eligible to receive intrapartum antibiotic chemoprophylaxis if these risk factors were used. Our objective was to perform a large patient-based study at >1 institution evaluating all deliveries for the presence of maternal risk factors by using the definitions of the current guidelines.


METHODS
A prospective cohort study was initiated in 1995 at 3 private community hospitals and 1 private referral center. The study population was composed of 5410 consecutively delivered patients from the 4 different hospitals. Every pregnancy was analyzed for gestational age at delivery, duration of membrane rupture, temperature during labor, and use of intrapartum antibiotic chemoprophylaxis.


RESULTS
Of the 5410 patients, a total of 455 (8. 4%) were delivered of their neonates before 37 weeks' gestation, 421 (7.8%) had rupture of membranes for at least 18 hours' duration, and 378 (7.0%) had an intrapartum temperature of >/=38 degrees C. Overall, 1071 pregnant women (19.8% of the population studied) had >/=1 of the defined risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that, if the current risk factor strategy is used, 19.8% of the delivering population would potentially be candidates for intrapartum antibiotic chemoprophylaxis.
Towers
C V
CV
University of California, Irvine, USA.
Rumney
P J
PJ
Minkiewicz
S F
SF
Asrat
T
T
D017668:Age of Onset; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000196:embryology* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000196:embryology* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000502:physiology; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents