When I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, I was overjoyed. But just two weeks after his birth, our lives took a terrifying turn. My son developed late onset group B strep septicemia. It was just a normal day adjusting to family life with our newborn baby Marty, he had been fine all morning and acting like his usual self. We even had the health visitor sign him off that day, we decided to go shopping and that's when he seemed to become unsettled, I didn't really think much of it as he had been a little constipated so I put it down to that. We finally managed to settle him to sleep but while shopping every little bump in the pram seemed to really upset him and he would scream and cry and the only way to settle him was too hold him. After a while we managed to settle him off to sleep in his pram but he would only lay on his side which I did think was strange. Once we had got home he was due a bottle, but he never woke up for it which began to panic me so I asked my partner to go wake him as I was already becoming extremely anxious. And when he brought him in my heart sunk, and I became histerical. Martys skin had gone a pale yellow and was really mottled, he point blank refused his bottle. Plum coloured botches appeared on his soft spot which was swelling and a big swelling began to form on the side of his neck. He was taken straight to hospital and then straight for a CT scan after observations were taken which showed a really fast heartrate and his oxygen was dropping. The CT scan showed fluid from the infection building up in his neck and he was put on antibiotics immediately.  After what felt like a million blood tests, lumbar puncture and a load of other tests he was diagnosed with late onset group B strep septicemia. A serious bacterial infection that can be deadly. Watching him fight for his life was the most harrowing experience I've ever endured.  Luckily for us Marty made a full recovery and is now a happy healthy 3 year old boy, but unfortunately that's not the same for a lot of families that this nasty illness effects. This was entirely preventable and could have been avoided with a simple test during my pregnancy.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a common bacteria found in about 1 in 4 pregnant women in places like the UK and US. It may not cause the mother any symptoms but can be passed to babies during childbirth, leading to serious illnesses including sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. In some severe cases, it can result in permanent disability or even death in newborns.

What's alarming is that many expectant mothers are not aware of GBS, and screening for it is often not included in prenatal care protocols. In countries like the United States, where routine screening has been implemented, rates of early-onset GBS disease have dropped significantly. Meanwhile, in other countries, like the UK, national guidelines do not recommend routine antenatal screening, despite the life-saving potential it holds.

Cost-effective GBS screening during pregnancy, followed by appropriate antibiotic treatment during labor for those who test positive, can drastically reduce the risk of transmission to the newborn. It’s a small step that can save lives. Evidence-based findings show reductions in transmission rates by up to 80%, underscoring the importance of this preventive measure.

Mothers-to-be deserve peace of mind knowing they are doing everything possible to ensure their baby’s health. Health organizations around the world need to re-evaluate their guidelines and mandate universal GBS screening in prenatal care. It’s time for change.

Please join me in advocating for mandatory group B strep screening for all pregnant women. By signing this petition, you are supporting the health and safety of countless mothers and their babies, ensuring they have the opportunity of leading healthy, happy lives right from the start. Sign and make your voice heard today.