Group B Strep Support
Press Release
4 August 2003
LIFE-SAVING TESTS TO SAVE NEWBORN BABIES
– BUT NOT YET ON THE NHS
You may have seen the news stories on national television of the reliable screening
test for group B streptococcal (GBS) colonisation in pregnant women. These tests
could save the lives of up to 100 newborn babies … but until the NHS agrees to
provide them they are only available privately.
Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of life-threatening infection
in newborn babies in the UK. It infects up to 700 babies a year, killing up to 100 of
them and leaving another 20 with serious long-term mental or physical problems.
The charity Group B Step Support is campaigning for reliable screening to be freely
available to all pregnant women. “Most of these infections could be avoided. But it
seems unlikely that screening will be available on the NHS in the near future.
“Reliable tests to check pregnant women for GBS – which have been available in
other countries for some years – are now available in the UK. This is the most
effective first step in preventing this infection in babies.
“We’d like them to be routinely offered to pregnant women as part of their antenatal
care but, until they become available on the NHS, the tests cost £18 and some health
professionals may also charge for taking the swabs.”
216 MPs have so far signed Early Day Motion 1211, “Group B Streptococcus” tabled
by David Cameron, MP for Witney which calls on the Government to investigate
instigating preventative measures against GBS in the UK as a matter of urgency (see
http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=1211 for latest signatures). At an
adjournment debate on GBS on 9th July 2003, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
State for Health (Dr Stephen Ladyman) admitted that previously he had not heard of
GBS but comes to the issue with an open mind. He promised that, if the results of
research, he has requested shows the Government’s position on screening for GBS
colonisation needs to change, then it will change.
Professor Robert Feldman, visiting professor in neonatal infection at Imperial
College, London and chairman of the charity’s medical advisory panel, explained:
“Other countries, including the USA, routinely test women late in pregnancy for GBS
using the reliable enrichment culture method.
“Scientific evidence shows that screening with this method - and giving intravenous
antibiotic injections from the onset of labour to those carrying GBS, those with a
history of GBS and those delivering prematurely – will prevent most GBS infections
in new-born babies.
Group B Strep Support, P O Box 203, Haywards Heath RH16 1GF
Tel: 01444 416176
www.gbss.org.uk
Group B Strep Support
Press Release

Screening women at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy, then giving antibiotics in
labour to all women found to carry GBS, plus to those delivering prematurely
or with a history of GBS, has been shown to prevent more GBS infection in
babies than relying on risk factors.

Women with recognized risk factors are not routinely given the appropriate
antibiotics intravenously in labour. And even if they were (and that would be
a big step forward from the rather haphazard situation which exists in the UK),
only 50% of all GBS infection in newborn babies would be prevented using
such a strategy.

Screening has been demonstrated on numerous occasions to be effective – the
best single example is the US national rates which have fallen from 2 to 0.6
per 1,000 births. We would challenge the RCM or the RCOG to find a study
that shows a screening based approach is not effective.

There have been no studies that have demonstrated whether screening would
be cost effective in the UK. The cost effectiveness will partly depend on the
cost of the test, which with the economies of scale the NHS could bring to it,
would decrease dramatically from the £18 charged by a private laboratory.
“But this is not done in the UK. The tests used here for detecting GBS are highly
insensitive. A swab taken from a woman carrying GBS will give an incorrectly
negative result up to half of the time.”
A London laboratory is now offering the more reliable test privately for the first time.
The authorising health professional obtains a free screening pack, with instructions on
the procedure, from the laboratory. The health professional or the pregnant woman
takes vaginal and rectal swabs at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy and sends these off to the
laboratory. For £18, the laboratory sends the result to the health professional within
three working days of receipt.
Professor Feldman said: “As well as the extra NHS funding which is essential, this
will require a significant change in medical practice including better information for
health professionals and pregnant women.
“Every pregnant woman should be given information about GBS. Yet most people
have never heard of it. This ignorance is causing babies and their families to suffer
needlessly.”
Group B Strep Support, P O Box 203, Haywards Heath RH16 1GF
Tel: 01444 416176
www.gbss.org.uk
Group B Strep Support
Press Release
Health professionals can obtain free GBS screening packs from OmiLabs Pathology
Services Ltd. by telephoning 0207 908 7000. More information is contained in their
leaflet at http://omnilabs.wearefive.com/images_special/gbs_info.pdf .
-ENDS-
Further enquiries
Jane Plumb, chairman, GBSS
Tel.
01444 416176
Mobile:
07986 745387
Fax:
0870 161 5540
E-mail:
info@gbss.org.uk
Notes to editors
1. Group B Strep Support (GBSS) is a UK charity set up to prevent GBS
infection in newborn babies. Jane Plumb and her husband Robert founded
GBSS following the death of their second child, Theo, from GBS; they have
since had a healthy child, Camilla, in August 1998.
2. Please note that GBSS does not have the resources to deal with requests from
health professionals for free GBS screening packs. It would, therefore, be
helpful to publish the telephone number given above for OmniLabs.
3. More information on GBS, including additional quotes, are available from
Jane.
4. In ITV’s Coronation Street, GBS was the cause of baby Jake Webster’s death
in June 2000. Until reliable routine screening is introduced, he would still die
if he was born in the UK today – but not if he was born in the USA.
5. For families willing to share their experiences – or to contact the charity’s
medical advisers - contact GBSS.
Group B Strep Support, P O Box 203, Haywards Heath RH16 1GF
Tel: 01444 416176
www.gbss.org.uk