Mrs McDougall commented on this increase, “that may seem like a small number, but in my view even one incident is too many when Strep B is preventable and can be identified through a relatively simple and inexpensive test.”
Other MSPs contributed to the debate:
Mr Dennis Robertson MSP stated that “If the expectant parents believe that it is in their interests and the interests of their newborn baby, or their baby who is to be born, to do the test, that test should be carried out.”
Rhona Grant MSP added, “Many more cases of GBS infection in newborn babies could be prevented by routine screening to identify all women carrying GBS, rather than using the current strategy of screening those with risk factors, who might not actually be carrying GBS.”
Nanette Milne MSP said, “… the most important thing to be done now is to ensure that all concerned are made aware of GBS and that steps are taken regularly to reinforce that awareness by whatever are considered to be the most effective means in a 21st century society.”
Margaret McCulloch MSP added, “the recorded increase in the incidence of infection should focus minds and allow us to take a closer look at how we reduce the risk of GBS to the health of newborns.”
The Minister for Public Health, Maureen Watt argued that the UK National Screening Committee had agreed a national screening programme should not be introduced and that NHS Scotland should follow that advice. Mrs Watt agreed that “we need to open up a conversation between clinicians, midwives, maternity nurses and families about the risks.”and that “in practice progress around the infection may not be moving fast enough for some, I assure members that progress is being made”. We are unclear what that progress is, particularly given her statement that “the number of laboratory-confirmed reports of group B Streptococcal infections, including early and late onset infections, has not changed significantly in the past six years.”
Group B Strep Support strongly agrees that expectant and new parents should be fully involved in healthcare decisions about their babies, and wants to see all parents informed about group B Strep as a routine part of antenatal care and for women to be offered the opportunity to be tested for group B Strep late in pregnancy.
You can read the full transcript of the debate here.
