Clinical implications of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pregnancy

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become an increasingly aggressive and prevalent pathogen in medicine. This pattern has also been noted in obstetrics. This review will delineate the epidemiology and clinical implications of MRSA during pregnancy. Investigations have focused on prevalence of MRSA colonization in obstetrics and the associated morbidity. In addition, some attention has been focused on the neonatal implications of maternal colonization. Overall, the rates of maternal MRSA colonization noted in the United States have been low, in the range of 0.5-4%. The clinical impact of MRSA colonization among pregnant women has also been estimated to be modest. Roughly 357 invasive MRSA infections per 100,000 live births in the United States occur on an annual basis. It is however important to note that published estimates likely underestimate the full scope of MRSA in pregnancy given the lack of formal reporting, importance of related neonatal colonization and morbidity, the complicated treatment implications in pregnant women, the recognized high pathogenicity of MRSA infections, and propensity for recurrent infections among community-acquired MRSA strains. MRSA is an increasingly important pathogen in modern healthcare and in the obstetric population. Continued surveillance and research remains a top priority.