When a pregnant woman carries certain bacteria, it can sometimes affect her baby. A large study looked at nearly one million pregnant women across the Asia Pacific region to see how common Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is. The researchers found that about 18 percent of the women surveyed were carrying this specific bacteria.
While the bacteria is common, the study also looked at how well current medicines work against it. They found that resistance to beta-lactams, a common class of antibiotics, remains low. They also identified that serotype III is the most common version of the bacteria found in these women.
Because this bacteria is so common in the region, the researchers suggest that continued monitoring is important. This helps doctors stay ahead of the curve to create better prevention and treatment plans for both mothers and their babies. Note that the data from Southeast Asia was limited in scope.
