GROUP B STREP SUPPORT

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies in the UK.  Without preventative medicine, GBS infects approximately 700 babies a year – most survive but sadly 75 of these sick babies die and 40 survivors suffer long-term problems. 

Yet most GBS infections are preventable by offering antibiotics in labour to women in recognised higher risk situations, including known carriage of GBS during pregnancy.  This is not standard UK practice, nor is sensitive testing widely available on the NHS and little accessible information about GBS is given to expectant parents or to their health professionals.  Other western countries who have introduced screening have seen the numbers of newborn babies sick with group B Strep infection fall dramatically – in the USA by 86% and in France and Spain by over 70%.

Group B Strep Support (GBSS) wants all health professionals involved in maternity services to have high-quality information on preventing GBS infection in newborn babies so they can best advise the families in their care.  GBSS wants reliable screening tests (currently only easily available privately and from 5 NHS hospitals) to be freely available to all women late in their pregnancy.

Group B Strep Support (GBSS) was set up as a charity in 1996 to:
-       inform healthcare professionals how to prevent most group B Streptococcal (GBS) infections in newborn babies
-       offer information and support to those affected by GBS and
-       generate continued support for research into the prevention of GBS infections in babies.

Please contact us for more information:
http://www.gbss.org.uk