ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025
Group B Streptococcus maternal colonization and neonatal sepsis in Belgium between 2012 and 2021: a description of the epidemiological situation and identification of risk factors.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Maternal body mass index and the risk of early-onset Group B Streptococcus disease in newborns: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2026Pooled it
- Prevalence, Serotype Distribution, and Antimicrobial Resistance ofJournal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Correction: Group B Streptococcus maternal colonization and neonatal sepsis in Belgium between 2012 and 2021: a description of the epidemiological situation and identification of risk factors.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Maternal predictors of early-onset sepsis in neonates: a multicenter retrospective cohort study and risk prediction model.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGroup B Streptococcus (GBS) infection is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity. Maternal rectovaginal GBS colonization is a primary risk factor for early onset neonatal GBS infection. In Belgium, pregnant women are screened and, if positive or at risk of transmission, offered intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP). We aimed to provide the first comprehensive overview of Belgian data and identify possible risk factors of maternal GBS colonization and neonatal infection.
methodsWe calculated proportions of maternal screening, colonization and incidence of all neonatal GBS infections and identified their risk factors using log binomial regression from national registries' data between 2012-2021.
resultsOf all women, 90.2% were screened and of them, 18.5% were GBS colonized. These proportions were stable over time. Risk factors for maternal GBS colonization included Sub-Saharan (aRR = 1.45, [1.41-1.48]) and North-African origin (aRR = 1.31, [1.28-1.34]) and 5 + parity (aRR = 1.21, [1.18-1.25]). Neonatal GBS sepsis incidence showed a gradually decreasing trend in two individual data sources. Flanders' overall neonatal GBS sepsis estimates were around 0.49 cases per 1000 livebirths. Risk factors for neonatal GBS infection included preterm birth (aRR = 7-41, depending on level of prematurity) and very low birthweight (aRR = 14.83, [6.48-33.94]). Babies of colonized women were at higher risk without (aRR = 7.05, [5.05-9.85]) than with IAP (aRR = 4.34, [3.28-5.74]) compared to non-colonized women.
conclusionsThe maternal colonization rate and the neonatal GBS sepsis incidence in Belgium is comparable to European data. We identified already known risk factors and effectiveness of IAP. Mothers at risk for GBS colonization and premature/low birth weight deliveries could benefit most from additional maternal vaccination strategy.
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