 From each participant, a consecutive vaginal swab will be taken during the second study visit between 36 0 and 38 0 gestational weeks i.e., 2 weeks after the first study visit. Sterile swabs will be obtained and inoculated as previously described. In case of a positive GBS screening result, i patients will be subsequently informed, and the result will be documented in ii the mother-child booklet and iii the PIA Fetal Database, version 5.6.16.917 General Electric Company, GE Viewpoint, Munich, Germany. This procedure is necessary to ensure intrapartum penicillin treatment, which will follow current guidelines and routine practice 2. During both study visits, a vaginal swab will also be taken to perform Gram-stained analysis of the vaginal flora, in order to exclude women with acute infections i.e., bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, candidiasis at study visit 1, and to gain further information on their flora. 