Are Mikvehs Responsible for GBS Carriers among Orthodox Jewish Women?—A Prospective Observational Study

Background: Maternal colonization with group B streptococcus (GBS) is an important risk factor for neonatal sepsis. A “mikveh” is a pool of water for ritual immersion by Jewish women. It had been reported to be a risk factor for GBS colonization. Objective: To determine whether there is an association between ritual immersion in the mikveh pools and GBS carriership. Methods: Water samples and bacterial swabs were taken from eight mikveh pools centers at two separate occasions and tested for GBS growth. For determination of the total number of live, aerobic bacteria, each sample was grown on strep selective agar for 48 hours at 37°C and CO2 5%. Results: All the samples were tested. No trace of GBS was found in any of the samples. Conclusions: The findings of this study refute earlier findings and suggest that there is no association between ritual immersion in mikvehs and GBS carriership.