Leili Shokoohizadeh - Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Jalal Mardaneh - Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
Hamideh Parsapour - Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Zahra Khoshechin - Medical Student, Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
Alireza Mohammadzadeh - Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESGroup B streptococcus (GBS) is one of the relatively common causes of vaginal infection in women of reproductive age. Considering the different prevalence of GBS in different geographical locations, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the prevalence of GBS colonization in the vagina of pregnant women referred to Fatemieh hospital in Hamadan city in ۲۰۲۱.MATERIALS AND METHODSIn this descriptive-analytical study, ۱۳۰ pregnant women referred to Fatemiyeh hospital in Hamadan city in ۲۰۲۱ were examined for GBS colonization using the purpose-based sampling method. Sampling was done using a sterile swab from the vaginal area, and the swabs were transferred to the microbiology laboratory after being placed in the Todd Hewitt broth medium. Bacterial diagnostic tests were performed to identify GBS. the results were analyzed with SPSS version ۱۶ software.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe average age of the studied women was ۲۹.۸۵ ± ۶.۸۶ years. About ۷۰% of them had a history of pregnancy at least once, ۳۰% had a history of abortion, ۶.۲ % had a history of premature birth, ۶.۹% had a history of gestational hypertension, ۱۶.۴ % had a history of gestational diabetes, ۳.۱ % had a history of genital disease, and ۴۷.۷ % had a history of urinary tract infection. The prevalence of GBS was ۳.۸ %. No significant relationship was observed between the frequency of GBS with the age of pregnant women, gestational age, previous pregnancy records, history of abortion and premature birth, and their disease records.CONCLUSIONAlthough the colonization of GBS in the vagina of pregnant women referred to Fatemiyeh hospital in Hamedan was low, due to its adverse effect on the outcome of pregnancy, screening for GBS infection and, as a result, its timely diagnosis and treatment is of special importance.

Group B Streptococcus, Colonization, Pregnant Women