INTACT MEMB X TERM X GBS RISK

Cesarean Delivery Performed Before Labor Onset on a Woman With Intact Amniotic Membranes

Cesarean delivery does not prevent mother-to-child transmission of GBS because GBS can cross intact amniotic membranes (32,33).

A risk does exist for transmission of GBS from a colonized mother to her infant during a cesarean delivery.

However, a retrospective study at a single hospital (138), a national population-based study from Sweden (139), and a review of CDC active, population-based surveillance data (CDC, unpublished data, 1998--1999 and 2003--2004) indicated that when a cesarean delivery is performed before onset of labor on a woman with intact amniotic membranes, the risk for early-onset GBS disease among full-term infants is extremely low.

Data on risk for transmission to preterm infants born via cesarean delivery performed before onset of labor on a woman with intact amniotic membranes are limited; however, the risk for transmission is likely much lower than in the setting of vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery following rupture of membranes or onset of labor.