title: A comparative study assessing the efficacy and acceptability of anorectal swabs for antenatal GBS screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess women's perception of pain and acceptability of low vaginal swab (LVS) and anorectal swab (ARS) for antenatal screening for Group B Streptococcus (GBS), and to compare the detection rate between these tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Separate LVS and ARS were collected at the 36-week antenatal visit, either by the patient herself or by her clinician. Acceptability and pain were evaluated on a Likert scale using a standardised questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 278 women were recruited, with a median gestation of 36.3 weeks (IQR 36-37). Of these women, 96% undertook specimen self-collection. The overall prevalence of colonisation was 64/278 (23%); 52 women had positive LVS results (18.7%), and an additional 12 (5.5%; 95% CI 2.5-8.5) were negative on LVS but positive on ARS. Most women rated LVS (99%) and ARS (92%) to be either 'pain-free' or causing 'mild discomfort', and found the LVS (90%) and ARS (84%) to be either 'totally acceptable' or 'somewhat acceptable'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of an ARS resulted in an enhanced GBS positive rate, and most women found the test acceptable.
authors.affiliation: FRANZCOG, University of New South Wales, Randwick NSW Australia. mail@drkenlaw.com.au
authors.forename: Kenneth S K
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parmar
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gregora
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abbott
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology*