GBS Study

Adequacy of Penicillin administration for group B strep 

 

Up to 2 in 5 women will test positive for group B strep (GBS) during their pregnancy. When women test positive for GBS, they are given penicillin during labor to prevent these bacteria from spreading to the baby and causing an infection. Group B strep infections in babies are very rare, but some babies get infected more often than others. 

The purpose of this study is to see if we can figure out why some babies have higher rates of GBS disease. To do this, we will be checking the levels of penicillin in laboring women and the umbilical cords of their babies. We will be comparing the levels of penicillin between women of different weights to see if they have the same levels of penicillin in their blood. We will also ask you to collect several vaginal swabs to test for GBS bacteria. 

We are asking women who are at least 18 years of age, who are at least 37 weeks pregnant, and who are receiving penicillin for GBS prophylaxis on the labor floor at the University of Pennsylvania, if they would be interested in volunteering for our research study. You are being asked to volunteer so that we can better understand whether different weight women need different doses of penicillin.

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Contact Information: 267-608-5551
 

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