​Calls for antibiotic treatment of Group B Strep for women in labour

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has launched a new campaign aimed at raising awareness of Group B Strep (GBS) and the potentially deadly affects it can have on premature babies.

GBS bacteria can live harmlessly in the lower vaginal tract, it is estimated that about one in four women have it.

Most women will not realise that they are a carrier but the bacterial infection can be passed onto the baby during delivery.

Hundreds of newborn babies a year in the UK catch GBS but, with prompt treatment, most can make a full recovery.

However, the RCOG has published data which concludes that currently two in every 20 infected babies develops a disability and one in every 20 dies.

The RCOG wants to change this and has suggested that any woman who goes into labour before 37 weeks should be offered antibiotics as a precaution, even if her waters have not broken and the protective amniotic sac surrounding the baby in the womb is still intact. The updated guidelines from the RCOG say pregnant women should be given information about the condition to raise awareness.

They also say women who have tested positive for GBS in a previous pregnancy can be tested at 35 to 37 weeks in subsequent pregnancies to see if they also need antibiotics in labour.

Hannah Bottomley, solicitor in our clinical negligence team commented:

The birth of a new baby should be one of the happiest times in people’s lives however that joy and happiness can quickly turn to despair if families are told there may be an injury to the baby. I have for many years, worked with families whose children have suffered devastating disabilities following injury at birth and warmly welcome any step which can be taken to prevent such injuries.

However, the RCOG does not advocate routine screening for GBS in mothers-to-be, saying there is no clear evidence that this would be beneficial, but campaigners disagree.

The charity Group B Strep Support agrees the guidelines are a significant improvement on previous editions but says the UK National Screening Committee still recommends against offering GBS screening to all pregnant women, ignoring international evidence that shows such screening reduces GBS infection, disability and death in newborn babies.

Group B Strep Support cite GBS as the number one cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies, causing meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia.

In the UK, the number and rate of GBS infections in babies is rising. Yet most of these infections in newborn babies can be prevented when women and their health team know the mother carries the bacteria during pregnancy.

Hannah further commented:

Meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia in newborns can have a devastating impact leading to life-long disability. Families are often unprepared for the additional support a baby who has suffered such injury will require with the problem compounded by the lack of statutory services available. Any steps which can be taken to limit such injuries and protect all patients should be encouraged in my opinion.

Read our previous post about how babies are at risk of dying from the bacterial infection during pregnancy.

Hannah Bottomley is a clinical negligence solicitor here at Potter Rees Dolan. Should you have any queries about clinical negligence issues or indeed any other aspect of this article and wish to speak to Hannah or any other member of the team please contact us on 0161 237 5888 or email Hannah directly.