Effect of induction of labor mode on pregnancy outcome in full-term GBS colonization pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of different labor induction methods on pregnancy outcomes in full-term pregnant women with group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study enrolled primipara with singleton pregnancies. According to the presence or absence of GBS colonization at 35–37 weeks’ gestation, we divided the cohort into the GBS colonization and non-GBS colonization groups. These groups were further subdivided into the cervical balloon dilation and oxytocin subgroups according to the method of labor induction, and the outcomes in these subgroups were compared with those of spontaneous labor.

RESULTS

Among women with GBS colonization, those in the cervical dilation balloon subgroup exhibited significantly higher rates of maternal infection (18.9%) and intrapartum fever ≥ 38℃ (34%) than those in the spontaneous labor subgroup (both P < 0.05). Cesarean section rates were higher in both the cervical balloon dilation (22.6%) and oxytocin subgroups (17.6%) than in the spontaneous labor subgroup (6.2%, both P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed among the cervical balloon dilation, oxytocin, and spontaneous labor subgroups regarding neonatal intensive care unit admission rates and the proportion of offspring with 1-min Apgar score < 7.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort of GBS-colonized women, the method of labor induction influenced outcomes. The use of a cervical dilation balloon was associated with increased maternal infection and a higher cesarean section rate, the latter likely attributable to the obstetric indications for induction rather than GBS status itself. Neither induction method increased neonatal adverse outcomes.