Trimester Reproductive Health
Your Pregnancy - Our Priority
Group Strep B
GBS is preventable through testing and appropriate treatment.
Group B Streptococcus is a type of bacterium also known as GBS, Group B strep, or Streptococcus agalactiae.
This infection is the main cause of sepsis and meningitis in babies under 3 months of age in high-income countries, such as the United Kingdom. 50% of babies who develop GBS meningitis will be left with some level of long-term disability such as cerebral palsy, deafness, blindness or learning difficulties. It can also cause stillbirth and may contribute to premature birth. GBS is rare in babies and children over 3 months old, and in adults.
Over 319,000 infant cases of GBS infection are thought to occur globally each year.
1 in 10 babies infected with GBS will sadly die.
In England and Wales there are around 450 cases of GBS infection in babies every year (about 1 in 2000 babies under 3 months old).
It is estimated that 1 in 4 women carry Group B Strep (GBS) in their vagina. For many this will cause no issue. However, it is known to be an avoidable cause of babies being admitted to neonatal care. GBS can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and sadly babies can become very sick and sometimes even die after birth.
It often has no symptoms, so testing is the only way to find out if you are carrying the bacteria.
If your test result is positive treatment is offered in the form of a course of intravenous (IV) antibiotics during your labour.
What are Strep B symptoms in my baby?
1 in every 1,750 newborn babies in the UK and Ireland become unwell in the first week after birth, usually within 12-24 hours of birth. This is known as early-onset GBS infection and causing infections such as sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. Approximately 1:400 infected babies will become infected. A small number (1 in 14) of babies who recover from GBS infection will have a long-term disability. Although GBS infection can make your baby very unwell, most babies will make a full recovery with early treatment.
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About 2 out of every 3 cases of GBS are early-onset. Most babies who become infected develop symptoms within 12-24 hours of birth. These include:
not feeding well
grunting
high or low temperature
being floppy and unresponsive
fast or slow heart rates
fast or slow breathing rates
irritability
Symptoms are similar for late-onset GBS infection.
Strep B Maternal Complications
Group B Strep infection is known to cause miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes (waters breaking), premature labour and major infection for the mother, such as sepsis or meningitis, that can cause major health problems for both mother and child.
The risk of GBS infection in newborn babies is higher if:
the baby is born prematurely (before 37 weeks)
the mother has previously had a baby infected with GBS
the mother has a high temperature during labour
the mother’s waters break more than 18 hours before the baby is born
the mother has GBS in her urine during pregnancy (this means she is infected with GBS, as urine is usually sterile)
the mother is younger (under 18 years old)
there is an infection in the womb during pregnancy (known as chorioamnionitis)
there are low levels of antibody to a specific strain of Group B Strep.
For more information about Group Strep B The charity Tommy's has a wealth of information and advice.
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A Strep B vaccine is currently being researched
Research is currently being carried out to link Strep B and other infections to pregnancy loss and the development of a vaccine to help prevent the complications it causes.
Recommended to use after 35 weeks of pregnancy (currently being researched to confirm if infection is a cause of miscarriage)
Strep B Sure only uses the (ECM) test which was specifically designed to detect Group B Strep and is internationally recognised as ‘Gold Standard’ and endorsed by the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG)
The NHS does not routinely test pregnant women for Group B Strep which causes life threatening infections in both mothers and new babies.
