AIBU to expect the NHS to protect your baby from GBS

[kimpoulton]

Protect your baby from group b strep infection.

My 4th baby was stillborn at full term plus 9 days after a perfect, healthy, textbook pregnancy. I later found out I had group b strep. Had I known I had this I would have received antibiotics in labour to protect my baby.

I dont think it's unreasonable to expect the NHS at an antenatal appointment to inform me of the biggest infection in newborn babies. Over 400 babies per year are affected by GBS, one baby a week dies from GBS and many who survive are left with life long disabilities.

Please read and sign my petition.

Make sure you ask your midwife about GBS.

You can pay £34 for a home testing kit and the charity group b strep support website lists where you can order a test kit from.

www.change.org/p/groupbstrep

[Soubriquet]

Plus they have their own petition section so could have easily been moved

[Graphista]

So petitions are allowed?

[ColdFeetinWinter]

Graphista you mention the cost as if I'd said it was a cost issue. I said it wasn't. It's about the outcomes. Screening cannot target individuals who would benefit enough so you'd have blanket treatment of 25,000 to save one baby. The consequence of antibiotics in 25,000 women have not been researched enough. drugs cannot be given without knowing they are needed I.e. A risk vs benefit decision.

Regarding other countries: there is a significant pressure to introduce this. It's emotive and everybody's worse nightmare. Other countries have bowed to that. In this country screening is organised so that decisions about introducing programmes are based on all research available. It does include cost but in this case it's the lack of outcomes vs over treatment. You're not talking a few extra women being treated - it's huge numbers.

[LouMumsnet]

Thanks for all your posts regarding this thread. We really do appreciate your concern. Unfortunately, the OP's post broke our talk guidelines, which was why we had to - reluctantly - take it down.

[EstelleRoberts]

How did it break them, Lou?

Not trying to be arsey, it's just I can't recall anything I would have thought was a problem in the OP. So a bit concerned I could inadvertently fall foul of them too.

[StStrattersOfMN]

Petition in it?

[Graphista]

Apologies I thought by doing separate posts it would be clear that I did not mean YOU had said it was a cost reason Coldfeet.

A few posters did question/suggest it may be a factor.

However

"It's emotive and everybody's worst nightmare. Other countries have bowed to that. In this country screening is organised so that decisions about introducing programmes are based on all research available. It does include cost but in this case it's the lack of outcomes vs over treatment."

Rather sounds a little patronising? As if those countries have introduced screening and treatment for purely emotive/political reasons, as they too won't have read, considered even conducted their own research?

"Countries which we understand offer sensitive tests for GBS to women during pregnancy include: Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Dubai, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Spain, Slovenia, Switzerland, Taiwan and the USA."

Hardly countries behind scientifically. Nor in some cases particularly wealthy countries. U.K. Isn't always right.

[EstelleRoberts]

I've seen loads of posts with links to petitions in, though, Stratters (including guest posts, I think?). And I don't recall seeing them be deleted. Hence the bafflement.....

Unless it's a (very) new rule?

[Foldedtshirt]

Blimey. Bad call MNHQ- you could at least have moved it petitions. Did you really just delete without letting the OP know!?

[ChasedByBees]

This seems a really harsh deletion.

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Hi all,

Apologies. We have undeleted the OP and moved this to petitions now.

[Foldedtshirt]

Thank you.

[uberalice]

OP, I'm so sorry this happened to you. This could easily have happened to me too. I had GBS when I went into labour the first time and it was only discovered by chance. Hospital took a swab because I thought I had thrush. I dread to think what would have happened if I'd not mentioned it. I've signed the petition.

[kshaw]

My best friend has just finished her PhD on strep b and asked me to ask midwife - was told test isn't reliable enough for nhs to fund it. Thank you for the link I will definitely be doing it!