Closed petition Offer Group B streptococcus (GBS) test to all pregnant women

Closed on 7 October 2021

My son was born in 2020 and within 24 hours rapidly deteriorated and was taken into hospital again. After further testing he was put on antibiotics to treat for sepsis due to group B strep and after a lumbar puncture found he had viral meningitis on the brain all due to this bacterial infection.

I am asking for the Government to ensure that all women are offered this test during pregnancy between weeks 35-37. My baby could have lost his life had I not have had mother’s instinct that my son was severely unwell. Urine samples picked up an infection but doctors were unaware what this could have been. My son and I was stolen of 10 days of life spent in hospital due to a simple testing to diagnose this infection that could have prevented such a horrific illness for a newborn.