Experts are urging the government to “save the lives of babies” by approving a clinical trial to test pregnant women for Group B Strep (GBS) infection.
GBS is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborns, and the trial will examine whether testing pregnant women for it reduces the risk of infant death or injury.
About 80 hospitals are required for the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)-funded trial to proceed, but only 32 have committed to it by the September registration deadline.
In the United Kingdom, two infants are infected with GBS on average every day, resulting in one infant death per week and one infant with permanent disabilities.
Numerous other nations, including the United States, currently screen for the infection.
Infants and GBS
If a baby has GBS, it typically manifests shortly after birth. The infant may be monitored for up to 12 hours in the hospital to check for problems.
Occasionally, infections can develop up to three months after birth.
According to the NHS, what are the signs and symptoms of GBS in babies?
being floppy or unresponsive
When you look at a person’s chest or stomach, they are grunting or working hard to breathe.
extremely rapid or slow breathing
a rapid or sluggish heart rate
a temperature that is excessively high or low
Variations in skin tone or blotchy skin
not nursing properly or vomiting milk
an abnormally rapid or sluggish heart rate
What should be done if your infant exhibits these symptoms:
Call 911 or bring your child to A&E.
What is the therapy?
Antibiotics can be used to treat GBS in hospitals.
What are the dangers?
If treated, the majority of infants with a group B strep infection recover completely.
Some infants may develop serious conditions such as sepsis or meningitis.
This can result in permanent issues such as hearing loss and vision loss. Occasionally, it can be fatal.
Dr. Jane Plumb, the chief executive officer of the charity Group B Strep Support, who lost her son Theo to the infection, is now urging the government and NHS England to intervene so that the trial can be conducted.
She stated, “The reality is that unless 48 additional hospitals enroll in this trial, it will fail.
“The government is awaiting the results of this trial to determine whether pregnant women should be tested for Group B Strep.
“However, there appears to be little recognition that this experiment is destined to fail.
“Additional hospitals are required, and we must ensure that our investment in this trial is not wasted.
“This is a matter of saving the lives of infants, and the time to act is now or never.”
Researchers from the University of Nottingham are in charge of the GBS3 study. It will examine whether testing newborns reduces the risk of infection relative to the current strategy in place in the United Kingdom.
The current strategy is to administer antibiotics during labor to women who are deemed to have an increased risk that their baby will contract GBS.
Two distinct tests will be evaluated: a laboratory-based test three to five weeks before a woman’s due date, and a bedside test at the onset of labor.
According to Group B Strep Support, the excess treatment cost threshold — the amount a trust must invest in research before receiving reimbursement — has also been lowered, so cost should not prevent trusts from enrolling.
According to the charity, several local representatives have contacted hospitals after being urged to do so by the public.
Dr. Plumb stated, “We are all interested in the results, but the trial will fail if insufficient hospitals participate.
What are the government and the NHS doing to ensure the success of this trial?
Dr. Carol Baker, whose work led to the implementation of universal GBS testing in the United States, stated, “The United States implemented routine testing for Group B Strep for all pregnant women 20 years ago, and the rates of early-onset Group B Strep infection in babies have since dropped by over 80 percent.
“Other nations have experienced comparable declines, but the United Kingdom is experiencing an increase.
This trial and its results are crucial for stemming the rising tide of GBS infection among infants in the United Kingdom.
Teddy, the first child of Olympic runner Iwan Thomas, became ill with GBS. Thomas stated, “Seeing Teddy covered in tubes and fighting for his life in intensive care was by far the worst experience of my life.”
“Thankfully, Teddy has made a full recovery from his Group B Strep infection, but I know there are others whose children have died or survived with life-altering disabilities.
“Because of this, I am so passionate about the success of the GBS3 trial, so that other families do not have to endure what I and so many others have.
It is inexcusable that, in 2022, infants are falling ill and dying from a preventable infection.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care stated, “Protecting pregnant women and their infants from disease is a top priority as we address disparities in maternity care across the nation.
“We are collaborating closely with NHS England and the NIHR to encourage participation in this trial, which includes reducing the cost of participation for NHS trusts.
The NIHR continues to monitor the participation of trusts in this crucial trial.
