group B Strep petition to PM

[throckenholt]

The Group B Strep Support charity (GBSS) and Pregnancy & Birth magazine have joined forces to petition the Prime Minister for every woman in the UK to be offered testing for the Group B Strep bug in pregnancy, and to be given accurate information about the condition as a routine part of antenatal care.

I have a friend who's little boy was seriously ill at birth due to this bug, and one of the hardest things to understand at the time was that this was a potentially avoidable situation. She would be so grateful if you would be prepared to do your bit to help others avoid the stress and heartache we went through, and sign the online petition via this link:

petitions.pm.gov.uk/groupbstrep/

thanks.

Bump, and quick \link{
petitions.pm.gov.uk/groupbstrep/ \link} as well.

I had group B strep and it was a nightmare trying to get info on it.

oops, try again!

signed.

I had a nightmare with GBS I was told as I was leaving to go home with my new baby (dd2) that I would have to stay in because I should have had antibiotics in labour. The labour ward staff told me I was not in labour and I delivered an hour later the GBS was not seen on my notes till I was being discharged.

BUMP-
I was diagnosed with GBS in first labour-scary what could have happenned if the midwife hadn't been so observant

.

I'm a member of GBS Support and we've been trying to get the law changed for years. In fact I went to their 10 yr annivesary ball last September - so shows you how long!

I have met the then Health Minister, Dr Stephen Ladyman and don't hold much hope for it changing UNLESS you vote in David Cameron as he's the person who has raised Early Day Motions in Parliament to get the law changed.

Not too late yet to sign the petition. Here is a recent note I had from GBSS:

"GBS Petition to the Prime Minister

In conjunction with Group B Strep Support, Pregnancy & birth magazine is petitioning the Prime Minister for every woman in the UK to be offered a sensitive test for group B Streptococcus (GBS) at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy on the NHS, and for every pregnant woman to be given accurate information about GBS as a routine part of her antenatal care. If you would like to sign this petition, please visit

petitions.pm.gov.uk/groupbstrep/

Carrying GBS is normal - up to 30% of adults do, usually in the intestines although in women it's very common in the vagina. Carrying GBS causes no symptoms and requires no treatment. GBS can be passed to a baby around labour but usually this isn?t a problem. Sadly though, for some babies, it can be serious, causing blood poisoning, pneumonia and meningitis. However, testing women late in pregnancy - and offering antibiotics through a vein at intervals once labour has started to those whose babies are at higher risk - would prevent 80% or more of all GBS infections in newborn babies. Reliable screening is not currently available in the UK but GBSS believes it should be ? which is why we?ll be presenting the Prime Minister with the petition.

Please do ask your friends and family also to sign the petition ? the more names on there, the more powerful the message it sends to the Prime Minister.

And, if you?d like to ask your MP to support this campaign, that would be fantastic."

I know many on mumsnet have probably already added their support...if you haven't and want to, then just follow the link above.

butterfly