• Fiona M Smaill.
• Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Room 2N16, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8N 3Z5.
• Cochrane Db Syst Rev. 2010 Jan 20; 2010 (1): CD000115CD000115.

BackgroundGroup B streptococcal infection is common in pregnant women without causing harm. However it is also a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality.ObjectivesThe objective of this review was to assess the effects of intrapartum administration of antibiotics to women on infant colonization with group B streptococcus, early onset neonatal group B streptococcus sepsis and neonatal death from infection.Search StrategyThe Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register was searched.Selection CriteriaControlled trials of pregnant women colonized with group B streptococcus comparing intrapartum antibiotic administration with no treatment, and providing data on infant colonization with group B streptococcus and/or neonatal infection.Data Collection And AnalysisEligibility and trial quality assessment were done by one reviewer.Main ResultsFive trials were included. Overall quality was poor, with potential selection bias in all the identified studies. Intrapartum antibiotic treatment reduced the rate of infant colonization (odds ratio 0.10, 95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.14) and early onset neonatal infection with group B streptococcus (odds ratio 0.17, 95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.39). A difference in neonatal mortality was not seen (odds ratio 0.12, 95% confidence interval 0.01 to 2.00).Authors' ConclusionsIntrapartum antibiotic treatment of women colonized with group B streptococcus appears to reduce neonatal infection. Effective strategies to detect maternal colonization with group B streptococcus and better data on maternal risk factors for neonatal group B streptococcus infection in different populations are required.

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