Can antibiotics during pregnancy cause Group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease in my baby?

A study suggests a link between maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy and an increased risk of GBS disease in newborns, particularly with third-trimester exposure.

What is Group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease?

GBS disease is a common bacterial infection that can cause serious complications like sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia, especially in newborns, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

When is the riskiest time for antibiotic exposure during pregnancy for GBS disease?

The early third trimester showed the strongest association between prenatal antibiotic exposure and the risk of neonatal GBS disease in a recent study.

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Pregnancy Antibiotics Linked to GBS Disease Risk

9 Jan

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Summary

Prenatal antibiotic exposure tied to increased risk of neonatal GBS disease.
Early third-trimester antibiotic use shows strongest GBS disease association.
Study in Sweden analyzed over a million births for antibiotic impact.

Pregnancy Antibiotics Linked to GBS Disease Risk

Maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy has been linked to a higher risk of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease in newborns. A population-based study in Sweden, involving over 1 million births from 2006 to 2016, found that prenatal antibiotic exposure correlated with an increased incidence of neonatal GBS disease within four weeks of delivery. The association was most pronounced when antibiotics were administered in the early third trimester.

The research indicated that GBS-active antibiotics given close to delivery did not offer protection against the disease. The link between prenatal antibiotic exposure and neonatal GBS disease appeared dependent on the presence of clinical GBS risk factors, with a notable association observed only in pregnancies without these established risks.

This finding suggests that limiting prenatal antibiotic exposure might particularly benefit neonates without known GBS risk factors. The study authors called for increased vigilance in monitoring infants outside current GBS prevention guidelines, especially those exposed to antibiotics in utero during the critical early third trimester.