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Article: Disparities in universal prenatal screening for group B streptococcus--North Carolina, 2002-2003.
- Article from:
- MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Article date:
- July 22, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the United States (1). Intrapartum antibiotics administered to women at risk for transmitting GBS to their newborns are effective in preventing perinatal GBS infection (2). In 2002, CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended universal prenatal screening for vaginal and rectal GBS colonization at 35-37 weeks' gestation (3-5). To examine prenatal GBS screening among pregnant women in North Carolina, CDC analyzed 2002 and 2003 data from the North Carolina Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). The ...