January 28th 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PROTECT YOUR UNBORN BABY FROM INFECTION
International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month - 1 to 28 February 2015
If you are pregnant, or know someone who is, be aware of group B Strep. Group B
Strep is the UK’s most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies
and of meningitis in babies up to the age of 3 months. It is more common than spina
bifida and as common as Down’s syndrome, yet few pregnant women have heard of it.
Group B Strep is a normal bacterium carried by between 20% to 30% of women and although rarely
dangerous to women, it can be passed onto baby around labour and birth with potentially
devastating consequences for the newborn baby.
Approximately 500 babies a year in the UK are infected with group B Strep. One in ten of these
babies sick with group B Strep infection die, one in 20 survivors suffer long-term problems and five
in ten survivors of group B Strep meningitis suffer long-term mental and physical problems.
The NHS does not currently offer routine testing of all pregnant women in the UK. The UK is one
of only a handful of developed countries using a risk-based prevention strategy. Tragically, the
number of newborn babies developing group B Strep infection has risen by 21% since the risk-based
prevention guideline was introduced in 2003.
Other countries routinely screen pregnant women, using sensitive tests rarely available in the NHS.
They have seen rates of group B Strep infection in newborn babies fall dramatically - by 71%1 to 86%.
The only sensitive testing option currently widely available to pregnant women in the UK is to
purchase a home-testing pack from a private laboratory, which usually costs around £35 per test.
1
Albouy-Llaty M, Nadeau C, Descombes E, Pierre F, Migeot V. Improving perinatal Group B streptococcus screening with
process indicators. J Eval Clin Pract 2011
The best time to test is between 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy. But most pregnant women do not
know about group B Strep as they are not told about it by their healthcare professionals.
Is your baby at risk of group B Strep infection?
There are six key situations where a newborn baby is known to have a higher risk of developing
group B Strep infection –

Mum has had a previous baby infected with group B Strep

Group B Strep found in Mum’s urine during this pregnancy

Mum has a raised temperature during labour (37.5oC or higher)

Group B Strep found on a vaginal or rectal swab during this pregnancy

Labour starts or waters break before 37 weeks of pregnancy

Waters break more than 18 hours before delivery
How to protect your unborn baby from group B Strep:

The best time to test for group B Strep is in the latter stages of pregnancy – between 35-37
weeks of pregnancy. REMEMBER to ask your midwife or health professional about group
B Strep and to ask if they will test you for group B Strep.

If not, contact one of a number of private laboratories that offer a home-testing pack for the
test (see www.gbss.org.uk/test for which organisations offer the sensitive, ECM test both on
the NHS and privately).

If you have had a previous baby infected with group B Strep, you should be offered
antibiotics (usually penicillin) from the start of labour and at intervals until your baby’s birth.

If group B Strep has been detected during your pregnancy, your health professionals should
offer you antibiotics that help protect your baby during labour and birth from developing
group B Strep infection. HOWEVER without a positive group B Strep test during the
current pregnancy, you will not be offered intravenous antibiotics in labour unless one or
more of the other risk-factors are present.
Jane Plumb MBE, chief executive of Group B Strep Support, the UK charity dedicated to
preventing life-threatening group B Strep infection in newborn babies says, “There has been no fall in
the rate of group B Strep infection in newborn babies since the current risk-based prevention strategy was
introduced in 2003. It simply is not working. Many other countries have seen their rates fall with the
introduction of screening. It’s time for the UK to change strategies – our babies deserve it.”
Case Study:
Mum Kirsty Jeeves from Lincolnshire had neither heard of group B Strep infection nor
was she offered testing to detect group B Strep carriage during her pregnancy.
Although her pregnancy was difficult, Kirsty had none of the recognised risk-factors for
group B Strep infection in her baby when she went into labour.
Oliver was born in January 2014 and, within moments of being born, was transferred to intensive
care – initially to combat a supposed ‘lactic acid build-up.’ After a day of tests, Mum and Dad were
informed that Oliver had group B Strep septicaemia.
“We had no idea what group B Strep was or how serious it could be, until we researched it. Our hearts sank
when we realised how poorly our newborn son was. We sat by Oliver’s bed praying for him to recover,” says
Mum Kirsty.
During his nine days in hospital, Oliver rallied and recovered. He is making good progress and is now
a healthy, happy little boy.
Oliver’s infection and the family’s trauma could have been avoided had Mum Kirsty been informed
about group B Strep, offered a test for group B Strep carriage late in pregnancy and then offered
antibiotics during labour to protect Oliver from group B Strep infection.
Mum Kirsty says, “Women need to be made aware of just how devastating group B Strep infection can
be.”
Kirsty Jeeves (Lincolnshire) is happy to be interviewed/photographed for media. Please
contact Sarah Fiedosiuk to be put in touch.
Offer: To support February’s International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month, The
Doctors Laboratory (TDL) is offering the ECM test for GBS for £29 –
Tel: 0207 307 7373 http://www.tdlpathology.com/
ENDS
For comment or greater detail:
Jane Plumb MBE, Chief Executive, Group B Strep Support
Tel:
01444 416176 (offfice hours)
e-mail:
jplumb@gbss.org.uk
For media enquiries and further information:
Sarah Fiedosiuk, Media and Awareness, Group B Strep Support
Tel:
01444 416176 (out of hours mobile 07984 649898)
e-mail:
sfiedosiuk@gbss.org.uk
For free information on group B Strep, please visit www.gbss.org.uk
Notes to Editors

Group B Strep is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies
and meningitis in babies up to the age of 3 months, passing from mother to baby around labour and
birth.

20% to 30% of women carry group B Strep, usually without harm or symptoms. Identifying
pregnant women likely to be carrying group B Strep and giving them intravenous antibiotics (usually
penicillin) during labour can reduce group B Strep infection in newborn babies by up to 90%.

By 2013, the number of newborn babies developing group B Strep infection had risen by
21% since the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2003 prevention guidelines were
introduced.

Even with the best medical care 1 in 10 babies of these babies sick with group B Strep infection
dies, 1 in 20 of the survivors suffer long-term problems and 5 in 10 survivors of group B Strep
meningitis suffer long-term mental and physical problems, including cerebral palsy.

Routine testing of all pregnant women in the UK for group B Strep carriage is not
currently recommended by the UK National Screening Committee.

The current UK group B Strep prevention strategy has failed. The rate of group B Strep
infections in newborn babies per live birth is higher now than it was in 2003, when the
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists introduced their risk-based
prevention guidelines. These guidelines (updated 2012) were expected to reduce the
incidence of early-onset group B Strep infection significantly – by up to 60%. This has not
happened (see Data Series).

Carrying group B Strep at delivery is the key risk factor for group B Strep infection in
babies. Determining whether a pregnant woman carries group B Strep late in pregnancy (35-37
weeks) is a better indicator of a baby’s risk of developing the infection than risk-factors. Other
countries which routinely screen have seen falls in the rate of these infections in newborn babies by
up to 86%.

Providing the test on the NHS would cost £11 per test. A handful of NHS trusts offer the sensitive
test for group B Strep and home-testing packs are available from a number of private laboratories for
around £35. Visit Testing.

A report on Group B Strep - Preventable Death and Disability caused by group B Strep,
summarises the pros and cons of the current group B Strep prevention in the UK.
http://www.gbss.org.uk/filepool/GBSSReport_2013.pdf
Charity Group B Strep Support is a UK charity dedicated to preventing life-threatening group B Strep infection
in newborn babies, providing information and support to families affected by group B Strep, and their health
professionals. It is calling for every pregnant woman in the UK to be informed about group B Strep and offered a
sensitive test for group B Strep carriage to prevent unnecessary tragedies. Group B Strep Support is supported by an
independent medical advisory panel.