Clinical, economic, and health-related quality of life impact of intrapartum group B Streptococcus (GBS) tests for prevention of neonatal GBS infection: a systematic literature review

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) contributes majorly to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although antenatal culture screening and risk-based intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) reduce neonatal early-onset GBS (EOGBS) compared to no screening, limitations hinder further reduction of EOGBS incidence. Point-of-care polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests can address these limitations and offer an alternative to detect intrapartum GBS colonization in near-patient settings. Despite European clinical consensus recommending PCR-based intrapartum screening, adoption remains limited, partly due to lack of health economic evidence. This systematic literature review (SLR) evaluated the clinical effectiveness and economic impact of GBS tests for intrapartum screening, and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with EOGBS.