ABSTRACT
In 2019, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended that universal prenatal group B streptococcus (GBS) screening be shifted from 35 0/7–37 6/7 weeks of gestation to 36 0/7–37 6/7 weeks to provide accurate test results up to 41 0/7 weeks. Rates of neonatal GBS early-onset disease and deaths were evaluated in the prechange (2016–2018) and postchange (2020–2022) periods using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Active Bacterial Core surveillance system. There were 2,640 cases (0.24±0.01 cases/1,000 live births) during the prechange period and 2,120 cases during the postchange period (0.20±0.02 cases/1,000 live births). The annual percent change (APC) was 2.1% (95% CI, −3.5 to 8.1) in the prechange period and declined in the postchange period (APC −9.6%, 95% CI, −13.0 to −5.9). Declining rates of neonatal GBS early-onset disease in the 3 years after the screening guideline update is reassuring and supports current practice.