No abstract

In a population of 1,050 pregnant women the effect of maternal colonization by group B Streptococcus on premature rupture of membranes (PROM), preterm delivery, and low weight was analyzed. A significant increment was found of the prevalence of PROM for patients colonized in the vagina and/or the rectum (26.4%) versus noncarrier patients (17.8%). In vaginal and/or rectal group B Streptococcus carriers, in whom group B Streptococcus was also isolated from the cervical culture, the rate of PROM was higher (41.7%), while when the cervical culture was negative, the PROM was similar to noncarriers. There were no significant differences with respect to colonization conditions regarding the incidence of preterm delivery or the different preterm delivery indicators analyzed.

This is a study of group B Streptococcus during labor of 121 patients in whom group B Streptococcus was isolated in the vagina and/or rectum before delivery. The intrapartum vaginal culture was positive in 55.2% of the antepartum carriers (32/58). When the vaginal culture during delivery was positive, the group B Streptococcus was isolated in the amniotic fluid 2 h after the rupture of membranes in 81% of the cases. The newborns of antepartum carriers, when the labor developed naturally, were colonized by group B Streptococcus in 69.2% of cases when the intrapartum vaginal and/or amniotic fluid cultures were positive (9/13), while only 5.6% of the newborns of antepartum carriers but with negative cultures during delivery were colonized by group B Streptococcus (1/18). The most frequent positive neonatal culture was in the umbilicus (83.3%) followed by the external ear (62.5%).

We studied 59 pregnancies in 48 female carriers of prosthetic heart valves. In 44 pregnancies the mother had a metal valve mostly with coumarin therapy and in 15 a bioprosthesis usually without hematologic treatment. In the patients with metal prostheses we had the following maternal complications: 1 maternal death, 3 valve thromboses, 2 heart failures and puerperal hemorrhage. There was also a significantly increased rate of preterm, low birth weight infants and intrauterine growth retardation. Concerning malformations we found only 2 cases of mild nasal hypoplasia. Regarding the complications of bioprosthesis, we had only 1 case of paroxysmal tachycardia and no fetal complications. Comparing the results we came to the conclusion that pregnancy is much better tolerated in patients with bioprostheses and that in patients with metal prostheses the risk is increased if the mother is older than 30 years, if time of replacement is more than 5 years or if there is a history of previous thromboembolism or gravidic heart failure.

The influence of maternal diabetes on Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization and GBS urinary infection was investigated. The population under study comprised 1,050 pregnant women (70 of them diabetics, the remaining 980 non-diabetics). A higher prevalence of GBS colonization was found among diabetics (20% versus 10.9%) (p less than 0.05). The rate of colonization was not correlated to the severity of the diabetes condition. Urinary infection was diagnosed on 8.6% of diabetic patients, versus 7.1% of non-diabetics (p greater than 0.05). Urinary infection by GBS occurred with similar frequency in both groups (0% in diabetics and 1% in non-diabetics). The possible etiological implications are commented on, and vaginal and rectal cultures are recommended for GBS screening in the pregnant diabetic patient.