Group B Strep (GBS) is a common bacterium which is carried in the vagina and rectum of 20–40%of women in the UK. GBS is not a sexually transmitted disease and most women carrying GBS will have no symptoms. Carrying GBS is not harmful to the carrier but it can affect their baby around the time of birth. GBS can occasionally cause serious infection in newborn babies, and, very rarely, during pregnancy and before labour. (2)
Please see the following guidance from the RCOG:
A patient leaflet is also available which gives clear explanations about management of GBS during pregnancy and labour:
Other Available Patient Leaflets
Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.
Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.