| What’s new about this? • This systematic review is the most comprehensive review to date evaluating the association between GBS maternal colonization and preterm delivery, and includes results from 45 studies, split by study design, and 6 sensitivity analyses to assess biases. |
| What was the main finding? • There is some evidence to suggest that GBS maternal colonization is associated with preterm birth, with cohort/cross-sectional studies suggesting a 20% increased risk and case-control studies an 80% increased risk. Evidence of ascending infection (bacteriuria) carries a higher risk of preterm delivery. |
| How can the data be improved? • Most of the biases assessed (such as detection of maternal GBS colonization), are likely to bias to the null. However, some biases (eg, recruitment bias for case-control studies), may bias results and overestimate the effect size. Confounding could increase or decrease the effect size, and this may vary in different contexts. Large longitudinal prospective studies that address these biases, confounding, and with accurate exposure and outcome measurement are needed, especially in low- and middle-income contexts. |
| What does it mean for policy and programs? • Maternal GBS vaccine could reduce preterm birth if associated with maternal GBS colonization, and a vaccine probe study could provide a more definitive answer to this research question. |
| What’s new about this? • This systematic review is the most comprehensive review to date evaluating the association between GBS maternal colonization and preterm delivery, and includes results from 45 studies, split by study design, and 6 sensitivity analyses to assess biases. |
| What was the main finding? • There is some evidence to suggest that GBS maternal colonization is associated with preterm birth, with cohort/cross-sectional studies suggesting a 20% increased risk and case-control studies an 80% increased risk. Evidence of ascending infection (bacteriuria) carries a higher risk of preterm delivery. |
| How can the data be improved? • Most of the biases assessed (such as detection of maternal GBS colonization), are likely to bias to the null. However, some biases (eg, recruitment bias for case-control studies), may bias results and overestimate the effect size. Confounding could increase or decrease the effect size, and this may vary in different contexts. Large longitudinal prospective studies that address these biases, confounding, and with accurate exposure and outcome measurement are needed, especially in low- and middle-income contexts. |
| What does it mean for policy and programs? • Maternal GBS vaccine could reduce preterm birth if associated with maternal GBS colonization, and a vaccine probe study could provide a more definitive answer to this research question. |
Abbreviation: GBS, group B Streptococcus.
| What’s new about this? • This systematic review is the most comprehensive review to date evaluating the association between GBS maternal colonization and preterm delivery, and includes results from 45 studies, split by study design, and 6 sensitivity analyses to assess biases. |
| What was the main finding? • There is some evidence to suggest that GBS maternal colonization is associated with preterm birth, with cohort/cross-sectional studies suggesting a 20% increased risk and case-control studies an 80% increased risk. Evidence of ascending infection (bacteriuria) carries a higher risk of preterm delivery. |
| How can the data be improved? • Most of the biases assessed (such as detection of maternal GBS colonization), are likely to bias to the null. However, some biases (eg, recruitment bias for case-control studies), may bias results and overestimate the effect size. Confounding could increase or decrease the effect size, and this may vary in different contexts. Large longitudinal prospective studies that address these biases, confounding, and with accurate exposure and outcome measurement are needed, especially in low- and middle-income contexts. |
| What does it mean for policy and programs? • Maternal GBS vaccine could reduce preterm birth if associated with maternal GBS colonization, and a vaccine probe study could provide a more definitive answer to this research question. |
| What’s new about this? • This systematic review is the most comprehensive review to date evaluating the association between GBS maternal colonization and preterm delivery, and includes results from 45 studies, split by study design, and 6 sensitivity analyses to assess biases. |
| What was the main finding? • There is some evidence to suggest that GBS maternal colonization is associated with preterm birth, with cohort/cross-sectional studies suggesting a 20% increased risk and case-control studies an 80% increased risk. Evidence of ascending infection (bacteriuria) carries a higher risk of preterm delivery. |
| How can the data be improved? • Most of the biases assessed (such as detection of maternal GBS colonization), are likely to bias to the null. However, some biases (eg, recruitment bias for case-control studies), may bias results and overestimate the effect size. Confounding could increase or decrease the effect size, and this may vary in different contexts. Large longitudinal prospective studies that address these biases, confounding, and with accurate exposure and outcome measurement are needed, especially in low- and middle-income contexts. |
| What does it mean for policy and programs? • Maternal GBS vaccine could reduce preterm birth if associated with maternal GBS colonization, and a vaccine probe study could provide a more definitive answer to this research question. |
Abbreviation: GBS, group B Streptococcus.
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