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Why test pregnant women for GBS?
Testing low-risk pregnant women for GBS at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy - using reliable enriched culture method (ECM) tests - and offering intravenous antibiotics in labour to women whose babies are at higher risk of developing GBS infection*, will prevent more GBS infection in newborn babies than using the current prevention method of offering intravenous antibiotics in labour to women with recognised risk factors.
*Pregnant women whose babies are at higher risk of developing GBS infection are those where GBS has been found during the current pregnancy from a urine culture or a vaginal or rectal swab; those delivering prematurely; those who have previously had a baby with GBS infection; and those with other recognised risk factors.
Without testing low-risk women for GBS carriage, many of those whose babies will be at risk of GBS infection simply won't be identified and so no preventative medicine can be given.
The result of an ECM GBS test is always good news. If it’s negative, then it’s hugely unlikely your baby will develop GBS infection. If it’s positive, although it does mean that your baby is at a raised risk of developing GBS infection, it also means that you can consider taking simple straightforward steps that have been proven to be extremely effective at minimising that risk.
How can I get an ECM test for GBS?
There are a handful of NHS hospitals around the UK that offer the Enriched Culture Medium test so it's always worth asking if your hospital does - though don't be surprised if they don't!
However, there are two private laboratories that offer a postal service anywhere in the UK for the ECM test. Each provides the GBS Screening pack free - you pay when you send your samples for testing.
The Doctors Laboratory Tel: 020 7307 7373 Fax: 020 7307 7374
E-mail: tdl@tdlpathology.com
Mullhaven Medical Laboratory Tel: 01234 831115 Fax: 01234 831116
Email: info@mullhaven.co.uk
You can order the ECM test online from:
Medisave - click here.
Mumstuff - click here. What does the ECM test involve?
The pregnant woman orders a GBS Screening Pack by phone, fax or e-mail. This is usually sent out the same day by first-class post. Once the test pack is received, then the swabs can be taken either by the pregnant woman herself, or by her health professional*. Either way, the pregnant woman’s health professional should authorise the test and it is important to ensure that the health professional is also sent a copy of the results – the form allows space for this information to be given.
The vaginal and rectal swabs should ideally be taken at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy – they can be done earlier but then they may not be as reliable in predicting GBS carriage at delivery. They may be done later, but then there’s an increasing chance that the baby will be born before the test result is available. The swabs are then sent direct to the laboratory (with payment) in the envelope provided as part of the GBS Screening Pack.
Each laboratory undertakes to have the results available within three working days of receipt of the swabs and to post out the results on that day to the health professional, with if requested a copy to the pregnant woman.
Because the swabs and the results are sent through the post, the test can be done anywhere in the country.
*A fee may be charged by the health professional for specimen collection.
Group B Strep Support endorses the availability of reliable prenatal GBS testing but has no links to nor receives any money from any particular laboratory. Indeed, we hope that many other laboratories will offer this test. And, as they do, we'll provide details of their service also. |
