Group B Streptococcus Testing
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Testing is a medical procedure that screens for the presence of the GBS bacteria in a pregnant woman’s body. It is important for this test to be performed because a GBS infection during pregnancy can cause neonatal meningitis, sepsis, or even death (Albouy-Llaty, Nadeau, Descombes, Pierre & Migeot, 2012). According to Mercer, Ramsey & Sibai (1995), 18 to 32 percent of congenital infections are caused by neonatal sepsis and can be a major cause of mortality and morbidity where 1.3 to 3 per 1000 neonates are affected by the early onset of Group B streptococcal sepsis. Valkenburg-van den ...