Water birth: is the water an additional reservoir for group B streptococcus?
OBJECTIVE
Water birth became popular in the last years, despite the fact that many questions like the risk of infection for the newborn remain unanswered. Group B streptococcal (GBS) infections in the newborn remain a challenge in obstetrics and neonatology.


METHODS
We conducted a prospective trial to study the impact of water birth on the colonization rate of the bath water and, more importantly, the GBS-colonization rate of the newborn.


RESULTS
After water birth the bath water was significantly more often colonized with GBS than after immersion followed by a delivery in bed. The newborns, however, showed no difference in GBS colonization and there was even a trend towards less GBS colonization of the newborn after a water delivery.


CONCLUSIONS
Regarding GBS colonization of the newborn during water birth there might be a wash out effect, which protects the children during the delivery.
Zanetti-Dällenbach
R
R
University Women's Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland. rzanetti@uhbs.ch
Lapaire
O
O
Maertens
A
A
Frei
R
R
Holzgreve
W
W
Hösli
I
I
D001494:Baths / Q000009:adverse effects*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014871:Water Microbiology