Study Reveals Risks of Antibiotic Use During Pregnancy Linked to Neonatal GBS Disease

Impact of Prenatal Antibiotics on Newborn Health

New Delhi, Jan 9: A recent study indicates that the use of antibiotics by expectant mothers may elevate the likelihood of their infants developing Group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease, a prevalent bacterial infection.

Typically, these bacteria reside harmlessly in the gut or genital area but can lead to severe infections in newborns, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems, resulting in conditions such as sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia.

Conducted by a global research team from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the University of Antwerp in Belgium, the study found a correlation between prenatal antibiotic exposure and an increased risk of neonatal GBS disease occurring within four weeks post-delivery. The strongest link was noted with exposure during the early third trimester.

According to the researchers, "Prenatal antibiotic exposure can elevate GBS risk within four weeks after birth, particularly in newborns lacking risk-based intrapartum prophylaxis, with the early third trimester identified as a critical period for susceptibility," as stated in their publication in the Journal of Infection.

The research involved a population-based cohort study analyzing all singleton live births in Sweden from 2006 to 2016, utilizing national health registers.

Out of 1,095,644 live births, 24.5% of the infants were exposed to antibiotics during pregnancy.

The incidence of GBS was notably higher in infants who were exposed to antibiotics compared to those who were not (0.86 vs. 0.66 per 1,000 live births), especially among those without GBS risk factors.

This study is pioneering in its examination of the relationship between prenatal antibiotic use and the risk of neonatal GBS disease. It corroborates earlier Nordic research that indicated a 16-34% increased risk of infections in early childhood (ages 1-5 years) following prenatal antibiotic exposure.

Furthermore, the findings revealed that GBS-active antibiotics administered close to delivery (within four weeks) did not provide any protective benefits.

The relationship between prenatal antibiotic exposure and neonatal GBS disease appeared to be influenced by the presence of clinical GBS risk factors, with a significant association found only in pregnancies without such factors.

This suggests that limiting prenatal antibiotic exposure may be particularly beneficial for infants without established GBS risk factors, according to the research team.

They emphasized the necessity for further studies and highlighted the importance of closely monitoring newborns who do not fit within the current GBS prevention protocols, especially those who were exposed to antibiotics in utero during the early third trimester.