This year, Tozers secured a landmark £35 million settlement for a child who sustained severe brain damage after medical staff failed to administer antibiotics in time, despite clear signs of a Group B Strep (GBS) infection in her mother.
This tragic case has reignited debate about why the UK remains hesitant to implement routine screening for GBS during pregnancy. As we mark GBS Awareness Week, we revisit the crucial question: Should all pregnant women be routinely tested for GBS?
What Is Group B Strep?
- Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a common bacterium carried by 20–40% of women.
- It usually causes no harm and often goes unnoticed.
- However, during pregnancy and birth, GBS can be passed from mother to baby, potentially leading to serious illness.
- Although rare, GBS can cause severe infections in newborns, including sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis, sometimes with fatal consequences.
The Current Approach in the UK
Unlike several other high-income countries that offer routine antenatal screening, the NHS currently adopts a risk-based approach. This means only women showing certain risk factors, such as prolonged rupture of membranes or a fever during labour, are offered antibiotics.
This strategy, however, is under increasing scrutiny as both the human and financial costs of missed or delayed diagnoses become more apparent.
What Happened in This Case?
- The child’s mother presented with classic warning signs of GBS, including ruptured membranes and a high temperature, indicators that her baby was around 12 times more likely than average to develop a GBS infection.
- Despite these red flags, antibiotics were not administered.
- After birth, the baby girl quickly developed a fever, skin blotches, and deteriorated rapidly.
- Antibiotics were not given until more than 16 hours after delivery, by which point it was too late to prevent irreversible harm.
- She developed sepsis and GBS-related meningitis, leaving her with life-long brain damage.
Why Does Testing for GBS Matter?
On average, in the UK and the Republic of Ireland:
- 66 babies are diagnosed with a GBS infection every month.
- 56 (84%) make a full recovery.
- 6 babies survive with long-term disabilities.
- 4 babies tragically die.
Too often, families only learn about GBS after their child has become critically ill. Parents are left with immense guilt and regret, despite having done nothing wrong.
The good news is that most GBS infections in newborns are preventable. Timely diagnosis and treatment can save lives and spare families from unimaginable hardship.
The Human Cost
This case is, above all, a heartbreaking tragedy. The child’s family was initially told she might not survive. Against the odds, she did. Despite her complex needs, she has grown into a remarkable young person, full of character and zest for life.
Her progress is a testament to the strength and love of her family, who have dedicated themselves to her care, often at significant personal sacrifice.
Should All Pregnant Women Be Tested?
This £35 million settlement highlights the enormous consequences of failing to act on clear warning signs and raises serious questions about the NHS’s current risk-based GBS screening strategy.
Routine testing is not only more effective, it’s also affordable. A simple swab test, costing just £15, could prevent many of these tragedies. In fact, the damages awarded in this one case could have funded over 2.3 million tests, enough to test all pregnant women in the UK for almost four years.
Given these facts, it is time to re-evaluate the current policy. A universal screening programme, offering all pregnant women a swab test between 35 and 37 weeks’ gestation, could help identify carriers early and ensure timely, potentially life-saving treatment.
How Tozers Can Help?
At Tozers, we are dedicated to raising awareness of GBS and supporting families affected by GBS-related medical negligence.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to failures in diagnosing or treating a GBS infection, our experienced legal team is here to help you obtain appropriate compensation and ensure justice for you and your family.
Contact us today to speak with a specialist in GBS claims.
