Advice Aims to Prevent Strep B in Newborns

Doctors have some updated advice on how to prevent streptococcus group B infections in newborns. The journal Pediatrics published the new policy statement this week. MedPage Today wrote about it. Many women have group B strep bacteria in their vagina or rectum but have no symptoms. The infection can be passed on to the baby during childbirth. In babies, group B strep can cause dangerous blood infections (sepsis). It also can cause meningitis, a swelling of the coverings around the spinal cord and brain. It is different from the kind of strep that causes throat infections. The new policy statement explains when to test pregnant women and how to treat them if they are infected. It also gives guidance on how to test, observe and treat babies who are infected or might be infected. Previous guidelines led to a drop of 80% in group B strep infections among U.S. newborns.