Pharmacological and Parenteral TherapiesQuestion 1064 of 2368
A client at 36 weeks of gestation has a positive group B streptococcus culture. Why is antibiotic treatment planned during labor instead of now?
- Antibiotics given before 40 weeks of gestation are unsafe for the fetus.
- The bacteria can recolonize the vagina before birth if treated earlier.
- The bacteria only begin to grow after the membranes rupture in labor.
- Antibiotics given earlier would harm the fetal lungs and affect breathing.
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Correct answer: The bacteria can recolonize the vagina before birth if treated earlier.
Treatment is delayed until labor because group B streptococcus can recolonize in the vagina when treated before birth.
Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Antepartum Care: Routine Laboratory Testing. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026