Group B Strep – Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has the highest rate of group B Strep (GBS) infection in newborn babies out of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Yet this deadly infection can usually be prevented. Medical charity Group B Strep Support is calling on politicians in Northern Ireland to take action and save lives by offering screening for GBS to pregnant women on the NHS.

Yesterday, the Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP MLA and Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP MLA jointly hosted an information event to raise awareness of a campaign to save babies lives by making sensitive testing for group B Streptococcus (GBS) available to all pregnant women on the NHS.

Guest speakers Jane Plumb, Chairman of Group B Strep Support, and Prof Philip Steer, Professor of Obstetrics at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London, addressed an audience of MPs, MLAs, health professionals and families affected by group B Strep.

Professor Steer said, “GBS infection can usually be prevented by giving antibiotics during labour to women whose babies are most at risk. All expectant mothers should be given the opportunity to take a simple swab test and find out if they are carrying GBS; this knowledge could save their baby’s life. At the moment, lives are being lost needlessly.”

Susan Kyle, supporter of Group B Strep Support, found she carried GBS during her second pregnancy, had the recommended antibiotics in labour and her baby was born healthy, added: “Every mother should have the right to protect her baby from this deadly, but preventable, infection. In many countries – Canada, France, Italy, Australia and the USA to name a few – testing for GBS is a routine part of antenatal care. Northern Ireland cannot ignore its high infection rate and set a precedent for the whole of the UK by making reliable testing for GBS freely available to all pregnant women.”

Mr Donaldson, Northern Ireland’s new Junior Minister, said: “Northern Ireland has the highest rate of GBS infection in babies in the UK. Group B Strep causes many families unnecessary distress and heartache every year. We in Northern Ireland have the opportunity to lead the way in the UK by raising awareness of GBS and introducing screening to protect our babies from this devastating and preventable infection.”

Dr McDonnell, who is a GP, said: “Testing for GBS is a routine part of antenatal care in many countries but not in Northern Ireland. Accurate testing of pregnant woman must be made available by the Department of Health if we are to save parents the heartache of losing their newborn to this fatal but preventable infection”.

For more information about GBS, contact Group B Strep Support, tel: 0870 803 0023 or go to www.gbss.org.uk