A research supplement, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and inclusive of 11 research papers, shows Group B Streptococcus bacteria is widespread among pregnant women around the world.
The research, led by United Kingdom-based London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and involving more than 100 researchers, focused on 2015 data and estimates from every country in the world. It includes outcomes for pregnant women, their babies and infants.
Here are five new research findings:
1. The papers conservatively estimated out of 410,000 GBS cases every year, there will be at least 147,000 stillbirths and infant deaths globally.
2. GBS was prevalent among pregnant women in all over the world, with an average of 18 percent of pregnant women carrying the bacteria.
3. Africa had the highest GBS burden, with 54 percent of estimated cases and 65 percent of related stillbirths and infant deaths.
4. In terms of numbers, the top five countries with pregnant women carrying GBS were: India, China, Nigeria, U.S.and Indonesia,
5. Sixty countries have a policy for using antibiotics during pregnancy to prevent newborn GBS disease. Of these, 35 have a policy to test all pregnant women to see if they carry the bacteria, and 25 countries identify women with clinical risk factors.
"Even if antibiotics were given to all pregnant women identified through screening strategies, they target mainly early-onset GBS disease in newborns, not GBS disease in pregnant women, GBS disease before delivery causing stillbirth, or GBS disease in infants more than a couple of days old," said Anna Seale, series co-lead and an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. "A maternal GBS vaccine could prevent many more cases and deaths worldwide."