Abstract 1611 Neonatology: Clinical Investigation Platform, Monday, 5/3

Early onset Group B Streptococcus (EOGBS) disease, defined by an onset within the first 72 hours of life, occurs in 1-4 per 1000 live births.

Objectives: To determine the impact of the new CDC/AAP/ACOG guidelines on prepartum screening, intrapartum management, incidence of EOGBS infection, and course of neonates born to GBS colonized women at University MacDonald Women's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio from 1/1/95 to 12/31/97.

Methods: A retrospective analysis by chart review of mothers and infants <72 hrs, comparing women identified as GBS colonized: Period I - women who delivered 1/1/95 to 6/30/96 [prior to institutional implementation of the guidelines for management of GBS colonization], and Period II - women who delivered 7/1/96 to 12/31/97 after implementation of the guidelines.

Results: (Table)

Table 1 No caption available
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Conclusions: In complying with the new screening and treatment guidelines there was a significant increase in the number of mothers screened and the detection of maternal colonization, plus a 63% reduction in EOGBS. There was also a substantial reduction in the number of invasive procedures on the neonates. We conclude that the new guidelines are both medically and economically effective.