The CDC updated their GBS guidelines today.. which is a pretty big deal!

They first released their guidelines in 1996, then updated them in 2002, and now updated them again today.

The full recommendations are here.

The summary of the key changes are:

• expanded recommendations on laboratory methods for the identification of GBS,

• clarification of the colony-count threshold required for reporting GBS detected in the urine of pregnant women,

• updated algorithms for GBS screening and intrapartum chemoprophylaxis for women with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes,

• a change in the recommended dose of penicillin-G for chemoprophylaxis,

• updated prophylaxis regimens for women with penicillin allergy, and

• a revised algorithm for management of newborns with respect to risk for early-onset GBS disease.