Strep B - there's a petition on Change we should all sign

[ImperialBlether]

Sign up to this petition on Change.org: to make the NHS provide tests for Group B Strep to prevent any more avoidable deaths of newborn babies.

They need 64,000 more votes - surely Mumsnet can help?

Signed- when I had my DS (1999) I was really ill ( think admitted, on a drip, Pre-Eclampsia type ill) and they did all the tests.
When I had DD in 2002 they highlighted that I was a carrier.(and swabbed)
We had IV antibiotics when I was into labour , DD didn't need any further intervention (she was big and term+ )
I had no idea how devastating the Strep B infection can be to a newborn.

Thanks for signing.

My sister had a late miscarriage due to Strep B - it's not something that's widely heard of and it can be life threatening to the baby. With so many parents on here, I thought we could help boost the petition

Signed. I had the test when pregnant with DD2 due to a suspected urine infection. If it wasn't for that I would have been unaware and therefore untreated.

Thanks, JimmyCorkhill! Now there's a name from the past!

Signed. My brother lost his firstborn shortly after birth to this devastating infection and my DC had it too but was ok after a week of ABs because we knew :(

Ridiculous the policy is so archaic compared to Germany and the USA where testing is proven to work.

When I had my dd I was told she had an infection as did I. We were both given antibioctics baby for a bit longer than me. I was never told why although in all honesty I never asked

Could I have group b strep? My sister has it if that makes any difference. Very worried now as my friends DS is currently in SCBU after bit being given treatment soon enough.

How would I know?

Signed. I had it when I had my second. Luckily I had the test, but only because I was aware of it, and had paid for it myself. I had IV antibiotics in delivery and all was fine. I had to make a bit of a fuss to get them as it was the middle of the night and they had to wake the duty doctor, but I knew what I needed.

I think the test should be offered to all as it is in other countries.

Aoifebell if you want more information on it, look here gbss.org.uk/who-we-are/about-gbs/what-is-gbs/for-pregnant-women/

It's really common and is only a problem if you don't know you have it.

I'm really sorry for those who've lost babies to this but I'm not signing: strep b is really common but only rarely affects the baby: the antibiotics used to treat it can seriously harm mothers and babies so giving them to babies who are not at high risk of developing strep b could harm/kill more babies than strep b currently does.

I should had said, it's only a problem if you don't know you have it when you deliver a baby. It's not a problem to have it at any other time, and loads of people do!

Hi ImperialBlether - we're just going to pop this over to our petitions topic.

Thanks, Becca. It's not my petition, I just saw it on the Change website and thought it would interest parents here.

signed

Booface it's not a problem for the vast majority of women who have it at delivery: the reasons for transmission aren't yet understood. Maybe most women have enough other, protective, bacteria in their vaginas.

Women who are near to giving birth might (this is purely personal choice and lots will NOT fancy it) want to try using a peeled clove of garlic as a pessary (thread a loop of cotton through for easy removal) and/or live yoghurt, to promote a healthy bacterial environment.

Bumping for the afternoon crowd.

And bumping again for the evening crowd.

Bumping again.

Signed

I was advised that the NHS wouldn't do it as standard because Strep B comes & goes so there was no point in taking it as a positive didn't necessarily mean you'd have it during child birth.

I paid privately, it came back + and have no regrets. £35 was a small investment.