I asked the group a couple days ago if anyone is aware if there has been noted to be a difference in GBS infection rates between breastfed and formula fed infants.  I didn't state my question clearly enough to elicit the answer I was looking for, if it exists, so let me try again.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control-USA)  website:

In most populations studied, from 10% to 30% of pregnant women were colonized with GBS in the vaginal or rectal area (12,13,15,16). Of all infants born to colonized parturients, approximately 1%-2% will develop early-onset invasive disease (1). 

So from those stats, a small percentage of babies born to mothers who are colonized with GBS will actually become infected and that a greater  percentage (98-99%) of babies don't become infected.  Right?   I realize certain factors come into play to increase the likelihood of neonatal infection (length of time the membranes are ruptured prior to birth,  the mother had GBS bacteriuria during pregnancy, prematurity, etc) but couldn't the fact that the infant receives his mother's colostrum have an effect on infection rate, too (if the infant didn't receive colostrum but instead was fed formula increases the infants risk for infection)?  Has that aspect of neonatal risk ever been studied that anyone knows of?  I am of course presuming that the colonization of the mother with GBS perinatally will lead to production of antibodies that would be present in her colostrum.  Is this a correct presumption?  

Thanks for any information to help me sort this out in my head.

Sally Myer 

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