On average in the UK:
- One newborn baby a day develops group B Strep infection.
- One baby a week dies from group B Strep infection.
- One baby each fortnight who survives group B Strep infection suffers long-term mental or physical disabilities.
Public Health England recently updated guidance on the group B Strep-specific ECM (enriched culture medium) test. Group B Strep Support is calling for these ‘gold standard’ tests, which cost the NHS £11 each, to be routinely available within the NHS.
Finding out whether a Mum is carrying group B Strep late in pregnancy is safe and easy. Antibiotics (usually narrow-spectrum penicillin) given in labour to women who are carrying group B Strep reduces the baby’s risk of infection by over 80%.
Read the full press release HERE.
