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Prenatal Infection Prevention Resources
Know how to help prevent some of the most common prenatal infections!
​February is International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month!
Other Healthy Pregnancy Outcome Resources
​Role of estimated placental volume
Healthy Pregnancy Behaviors:
Awareness as the first step to prevention: prenatal infection and stillbirth
A post from the Stillbirth Advocacy Working Group stillbirths series by Amy Perhach
View our presentation on "Primary prevention of prenatal infection using the mnemonic "HYGIENE""
​This presentation is from the Prenatal Infection Prevention Symposium.
Remember the basic steps of helping prevent prenatal infections. View PDF
Prenatal Infection Prevention poster. ​View PDF
Prenatal Infection Prevention companion handout, perfect for posting on bulletin boards! View PDF
Is GBS only a concern at birth? GBS is a concern during pregnancy and after birth! View PDF
5 Knowledge-based strategies to help prevent POGBS disease. View PDF
Podcast and Video Resources:
International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month with Dr. Jamie McGregor — “Doctors of the USA welcomes Dr. Jamie McGregor, a retired Ob/Gyn/infectious disease specialist on the Group B Strep International board, an internationally known clinician and expert consultant, to talk about the epidemiology of GBS. Listen in as he shares how it can be prevented and the treatment options available.
The ultrasound clips in this footage illustrate how active uterine transport, also known as “up-suck”, can help infectious microorganisms cross the mouth of the womb and even intact membranes.  This is significant as it demonstrates how invasive procedures such as membrane stripping can transport infectious microorganisms into the lower uterine segment potentially causing intrauterine infection and death in unborn babies.

The following slides have key subtitles for the ultrasound clips in the above video for those unfamiliar with uterine ultrasounds:
PowerPoint presentation by GBSI: "Key Subtitles for Ultrasound Illustration of the Functional Connectedness of the Lower and Upper Reproductive Tracts.”
The Role of Various Factors in Prenatal Infection:
the role of vaginal health
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​“A Call to Action: Vaginal pH Level and its Role in Women’s Health and Safety”. 
PowerPoint presentation by Dr. James C. Caillouette,                           
This presentation is also available as a PDF. 

Self-Care-Program for pregnant women. Learn how to help prevent premature births and identify the risk of vaginal infection.                         
Prof. Erich Saling MD FRCOG, Jürgen Lüthje MD and Monika Schreiber MD Institute for Perinatal Medicine, Berlin, Germany (Translation into English: Amos Grunebaum MD FACOG, Cornell University, New York).

“Indication for use of vaginal pH test in U.S. by women who have normal menstrual periods or who may currently be pregnant.”

A prospective study of vaginal pH as a predictor of preterm delivery               
A. Jazayeri, H. Arnold, M. K. Jazayeri and W. N. Spellacy Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine 2002, Vol. 11, No. 1, Pages 30-33

Ob-gyns call for BV screening Bacterial vaginosis link to early labor is confirmed                                                Denise Mann, Medical Tribune, Obstetrician and Gynecologist Edition, January 25, 1996, Volume 3, Number 2 2002, Vol. 11, No. 1, Pages 30-33

Prenatal Infection and Schizophrenia: A Review of Epidemiologic and Translational Studies.                                      Alan S. Brown, M.D., M.P.H., and Elena J. Derkits, B.A. 01, March 2010.

Vaginal pH Self-Screening as a KISS Regimen in Prevention of Early Preterm Birth.                                             
Udo B. Hoyme. EMJ Gyn Obs. 2012:1:44-47.

BV Increases Risk for Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Nancy Monson. Modern Medicine Network. 2, November 2017. 

Women's Impression of BV Episodes, Recurrences, and Care
Nancy Monson. Modern Medicine Network. 2, November 2017. ​

Reduced incidence of early preterm birth in the State of Thuringia following an intravaginal pH-self-monitoring screening program
Hoyme, U.B., Hesse, M. Arch Gynecol Obstet 302, 1–4 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-020-05574-7
The role of the microbiome
The perinatal microbiome and pregnancy.
AL Prince, K Aagaard. Cold Spring Herb Perspect Med. 2016;5.

Maternal microbiome – a pathway to preterm birth.
AE Vinturache et al. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2016;21:94-9.

Partial restoration of microbiota of Cesarean born infants via microbial transfer.
MG Dominguez-Belle et al. Nat Med 2016;22:250-3.

Microbiome in parturition and preterm birth.
I Umysovekar, B Cao. Semin Repro Med 2014;32:50-55.

Microbial changes during pregnancy, birth and infancy.
M Nuriel et al. Front Microbiol 2016.

Analysis of meconium bacterial microbiota in healthy term infants born vaginally or by Cesarean section.
R Nagpal et al. Front Micro 2016;7:1977.

Transforming life: developmental origins.
SL Prescott, AC Logan. IJERPH 2016;1075.

Planting the seed: Origins composition and postnatal health significance of the fetal gastrointestinal microbiota.
LF Stinson, MS Payne, JA Keelan. Critical Reviews in Microbiology Dec 2016.

Formulation of short chain fatty acids by the gut microbiota on their impact on human metabolism.
DJ Morrison, T Drosten. Gut Microbiome 2016;7:189-200.

The Human Intestinal Microbiome in Health and Disease.
SV Lynch, O Pedersen. NEJM 2016; 375:2369-2372.
The role of oral health
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Dental Care Guide for Pregnant Women & Babies
Dr. Jay Khorsandi, DDS December 27, 2021

A Complete Guide to Dental Care and Pregnancy
Emergency Dentist USA

​Acute Chorioamnionitis at Term Caused by the Oral Pathogen Fusobacterium Nucleatum
​Bohrer J, Kamemoto L, Almeida P, et al. Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2012 Oct; 71)10): 280-281.
the role of chemicals
Agricultural pesticide use and adverse birth outcomes in the San Joaquin Valley of California
​Ashley E. Larson, Nature Communications, Article number: 302(2017).
the role of sexual transmission
Lyme Disease May Be Sexually Transmitted, Study Suggests
​Guinnevere Stevens PRWEB. Jan. 25, 2014.

The Regulation of Inflammatory Pathways and Infectious Disease of the Cervix by Seminal Fluid.
Adefuye A, Anthony Katz A, Jason Sales K. Patholog Res Int. 2014; 2014: 748740.
the role of harmful microorganisms
The infectious origins of stillbirth.
Goldenberg RL, Thompson C. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;189(3):861–873. doi:10.1067/s0002-9378(03)00470-8
COVID-19
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
References and Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

​For more info on CMV prevention, please visit How Can I Help Protect My Baby from CMV?

​Lenore Pereira, Have We Overlooked Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection as a Cause of Stillbirth?, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 203, Issue 11, 1 June 2011, Pages 1510–1512, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jir126
dENGUE
Maternal and Fetal Outcome of Dengue Fever in Pregnancy (abstract)
​TV, Chitra, S. Panicker. J Vector Borne Dis. 2011 Dec;48(4):210-3
E. COLI
Escherichia coli Strains from Pregnant Women and Neonates: Intraspecies Genetic Distribution and Prevalence of Virulence Factors.
Watt S, Lanotte P, Mereghetti L. et al. J Clin Microbiol. 2003 May; 41(5): 1929–1935.

Women with symptoms of a urinary tract infection but a negative urine culture: PCR-based quantification of Escherichia coli suggests infection in most cases.
Heytens S, De Sutter A, Coorevits L Clin Microbiol Infect. 2017 Sep;23(9):647-652. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2017.04.004. Epub 2017 Apr 28.
INFLUENZA
ORal pathogen fusobacterium Nucleatum
Acute Chorioamnionitis at Term Caused by the Oral Pathogen Fusobacterium Nucleatum
​Bohrer J, Kamemoto L, Almeida P, et al. Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2012 Oct; 71)10): 280-281.
streptococcus Porcinus
Studies on biochemical, serological and further characteristic of Streptococcus porcinus.
Lammler C, Cirak N, Smola J. Zentralbl Veterinarmed B. 1998 May; 45(4):235-43.
ticks
Lyme Disease May Be Sexually Transmitted, Study Suggests
​Guinnevere Stevens. PRWEB. Jan. 25, 2014.

Of goats and men: rethinking anaplasmoses as zoonotic infections
​Andrea R Beyer and Jason A Carlyon. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Volume 15, No. 6. p619-620, June 2015. 
various pathogens
The role of infection in miscarriage
Giakoumelou, S., Wheelhouse, N., Cuschieri, K., Entrican, G., Howie, S. E., & Horne, A. W. (2016). Human reproduction update, 22(1), 116–133. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmv041
Vector-born disease
Effect of climate change on vector-borne disease risk in the UK
Medlock J. and Leach S.The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 23, March 2015. 
zoonotic Diseases
Zooontic Diseases: Pigeon Associated People Diseases
Walter Webber, University of Nebraska. Avian Web. 1979.
Citrobacter koseri
Second Trimester Fetal Loss Due to Citrobacter koseri Infection: A Rare Cause of Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM)
Bonasoni MP, Comitini G, Pati M, Russello G, Vizzini L, Bardaro M, Pini P, Marrollo R, Palicelli A, Dalla Dea G, Carretto E. Diagnostics (Basel). 2022 Jan 10;12(1):159. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics12010159. PMID: 35054326; PMCID: PMC8774530.
View group B strep medical articles and abstracts
Resources for the Whole Family:
​Fun for children! 
​Teach your children how to set the table (washing their hands first to prevent the spread of germs!) with a downloadable placemat for them to color.  CMV and GBS prevention info is on the back for parents and caregivers!
Other Healthy Pregnancy Outcome Resources:
The role of estimated placental volume (EPV) in healthy pregnancy outcomes:
View this presentation on
​"How to Diagnose the Cause of Pregnancy Loss Using
Placental Examination"
from ICGBS 2020
Dr. Harvey Kliman, working with his father, mathematician Merwin Kliman, has developed a technique to measure Estimated Placental Volume (EPV) during pregnancy. This information has the potential to improve patients' prenatal care and pregnancy outcomes, as small placentas can lead to intrauterine growth restriction, and in severe cases, even intrauterine fetal demise.​ 

More info on EPV
For more information, order or download our many materials on group B strep disease awareness and prevention!