subarugirl
Banned
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/groupbstrep/
This is a petition for routine screening of pregnant women for Group B Strep which is a bacteria that lives naturally in around 1/3 of adults. 25% of women of childbearing age carry it. There are around 230,000 babies born each year to women who carry GBS and of those around 88,000 will become colonised with GBS. Without preventative medicine around 700 a year will develop a GBS infection, typically septicaemia (blood poisoning), pneumonia or meningitis and an estimated 75 babies die from a GBS infection.
If women were routinely screened this number could be cut drastically. The problem is this test (a simple swab at 35-37 weeks gestation) is not available on the NHS so if a woman wants the test she has to pay £32 to get it done privately. This may not sound like alot but when you consider that the babies that are born with GBS, and occassionaly the mothers who also get infected, have to be treated with anti-biotics for around 2weeks (for babies) and spend that time in the Special Care Baby Unit in the hospital (which costs the NHS around £1000-£3000 per 24hours depending on the level of care the baby needs) then the NHS would save alot of money. If GBS is detected on the swab test, the mother is simply given anti-biotics at the time the it is discovered and also during labour. Alot more simple and cost worthy than 2weeks in hospital for the babies, and alot less heartache for the parents of babies with GBS.
As a mother of 3 children, 2 born with GBS, I know how important this test is. So please sign this petition and get the test on the NHS for all the pregnant women out there.
Thankyou
This is a petition for routine screening of pregnant women for Group B Strep which is a bacteria that lives naturally in around 1/3 of adults. 25% of women of childbearing age carry it. There are around 230,000 babies born each year to women who carry GBS and of those around 88,000 will become colonised with GBS. Without preventative medicine around 700 a year will develop a GBS infection, typically septicaemia (blood poisoning), pneumonia or meningitis and an estimated 75 babies die from a GBS infection.
If women were routinely screened this number could be cut drastically. The problem is this test (a simple swab at 35-37 weeks gestation) is not available on the NHS so if a woman wants the test she has to pay £32 to get it done privately. This may not sound like alot but when you consider that the babies that are born with GBS, and occassionaly the mothers who also get infected, have to be treated with anti-biotics for around 2weeks (for babies) and spend that time in the Special Care Baby Unit in the hospital (which costs the NHS around £1000-£3000 per 24hours depending on the level of care the baby needs) then the NHS would save alot of money. If GBS is detected on the swab test, the mother is simply given anti-biotics at the time the it is discovered and also during labour. Alot more simple and cost worthy than 2weeks in hospital for the babies, and alot less heartache for the parents of babies with GBS.
As a mother of 3 children, 2 born with GBS, I know how important this test is. So please sign this petition and get the test on the NHS for all the pregnant women out there.
Thankyou
