Please support my friend - B Strep

[fruitloop79]

Please follow this link to support my friend who lost her niece and hundreds of other families in GB.

This gorgeous little girl was born on the 19th Dec 07. She was a healthy bouncing baby. She died days later from Group B streptococcus. An infection which can be prevented with a simple swab test during pregnancy which we are not even offered in the UK.

If you're a member of Facebook please join this support group

And please, everyone sign this petition

Thank you for your support

Fruity

Signed

Ah, Thanks so much loveangel

The deadline for the petition is Saturday 19th Jan (THIS SAT!!)

i am sorry to hear about your friend. i was diagnosed with it during my pregnancy and had to have treatment during labour for it. many of my friends do not even know it exists.

I just hope all you lovely expectant mothers get the opportunity to have the test. I don't think it costs very much. And lets face it girls, We'd pay anything to keep our LO's safe wouldnt we?

Done. So sorry to hear about your friends niece.

Signed - thanks for posting this link and I'm so sorry to hear abotu your friend.

I've signed. I found out I was + after dd's birth but thankfully she was OK. Am due again now and getting no useful information or support from care providers so I am happy to do all I can x

Had never heard of this. Terrible. Have signed the petition and am going to check out whether the test is available in Sweden where I live, doubt the situation's any better here though. Thanks for posting the links and I am so sorry for your friend and her family. Let's hope this petition makes something happen.

Have signed... I had to have treatment for this in labour too, having not previously known anything about it.

Signed, does anybody know if there is somewhere you can go to have this done even if you potentially show no risk? Or is there even a kit you can buy to do yourself?

Janus - you can get the test done privately for about £30

Signed, great idea to put the link on mn btw.

Mullhaven is the lab where you can get the test done privately. DIY if you prefer.

Thanks so much. I was just having lunch with someone this week who was discovered to have it at 30 weeks. She had antibiotics while giving birth and it just highlighted to me easy it would be to have this and not know. I think I will do one from this clinic at around 34 weeks, to allow time for results, etc. It's got to be worth the £30ish.

Janus - it's best to have it a bit later (36/38 weeks), because I think strep b can come and go. My test results only took 2 days to come back.

Thanks, maybe I'll order at 34 weeks and send of at 36, incase I'm early (though don't why I would be as other two were late!).

Hi guys,
Just to remind everyone. This petition ends tomorrow (sat 19th jan)

Please make sure you all sign it!

Many thanks
Fruity

I can't sign b/c I'm not a British citizen but I am very happy to see that this issue is being raised. I live in the US where testing is standard and was shocked to learn that it is not in the UK. The reason given was that it is not as common but how can anyone do bean-counting when a baby's life is at stake? I was negative with ds1 but positive with ds2. There is absolutely no way you can know without the test if you have Strep B. And as fruitloop says it is quick and simple.

signed! I took the GBS test privately after reading about the infection. i did the test last week and was shocked when i got the results and they were positive...
when i told my midwife however she said 'oh what did you go and have that test for, it will just make you worry!' so now i feel like a hypercondriac (sp) and have been sinse told i cant have the waterbirth i wanted. but i am still glad i did it, even if the risks of the baby catching it are slim. its worth the simple antibiotics as a precaution to protect your child!