HAYWARDS HEATH, England, October 1 /PRNewswire/ --

- A Research Paper Confirms What Medical Charity Group B Strep Support 
has Been Saying for Years - That Testing Pregnant Women for Group B Strep 
Would Save Lives and Save the Government Money.

The article in the British Medical Journal reports that most group B
Streptococcal (GBS) infection in newborn babies could be prevented by
changing current best practice. The report found that offering testing for
group B Strep carriage to all pregnant women was the most cost effective
option, with antibiotics being offered in labour where GBS is found.

The research estimates that this will save the Government GBP37 million a
year.

Jane Plumb, Chairman of Group B Strep Support said:

"It would be madness to ignore this crucial piece of research. It will
save money. It will save babies' lives. And it will save parents having to
stand by as their baby suffers needlessly. That's got to be a win-win
strategy, which the Government has to implement and now!"

Group B Strep causes infections such as meningitis, septicaemia and
pneumonia. It affects 700 babies every year in the UK, killing 75 and leaving
40 with serious long-term mental or physical problems. GBS infection can
usually be prevented by giving antibiotics during labour to women whose
babies are most at risk of developing these infections.

The research paper evaluates the cost-effectiveness of various strategies
for preventing neonatal infection with GBS and other bacteria. The authors
say that current best practice is not cost-effective. Current best practice
involves offering intravenous antibiotics only to women in high risk
situations - who have previously had a baby with a GBS infection, who have
incidentally tested positive for GBS during pregnancy or who have a fever in
labour.

The research results show the most cost-effective option that minimises
antibiotic usage is to treat all women in premature labour as well as all
those in high risk situations, and to test all other pregnant women and then
treat those found to carry GBS. The report recommends immediate extension of
current practice.

Jane Plumb continues: 'We need to offer women testing for group B Strep
carriage late in pregnancy and, if GBS is found, then they need to decide,
with their health professionals, what action if any to take in labour''.

For more information about GBS, interviews with families who have
experience of GBS infection in newborn babies, or with the charity's medical
advisors, contact:

For more information about Group B Strep please contact Group B Strep
Support on +1(0)870-803-0023 or at http://www.gbss.org.uk.

Jane Plumb, Chairman, or Beryl Hobson, Chief Executive, Group B Strep
Support: Tel: +1(0)870-803-0023

Notes to editors:

1. The research referred to in this press release was published on 11
September 2007 in the British Medical Journal and can be found at
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.39325.681806.ADv2?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&
hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=group+B+streptococcal&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&
resourcetype=HWCIT

Prenatal Screening and treatment strategies to prevent group B
streptococcal and other bacterial infections in early infancy:
cost-effectiveness and expected value of information analyses. Authors: T
Colbourn, C Assseburg, L Bojke, Z Philips, K Claxton, AE Ades & RE Gilbert

2. Group B Strep Awareness Week is from Monday 3rd - Sunday 9th December
2007. A press pack is available, including information about GBS and Group B
Strep Support as well as case studies and quotes from notable supporters,
including David Cameron and Dr Chris Steele. If you would like a copy, please
contact Jane Plumb or Beryl Hobson, as above.

3. Group B Strep Support is campaigning for routine testing for Group B
Strep to be freely available to all pregnant women on the NHS. Please sign
our petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/groupbstrep.

4. Dr Chris Steele, resident GP on ITV's This Morning, is Patron of Group
B Strep Support. If you would like a photograph of Dr Steele or an interview,
please contact Jane Plumb or Beryl Hobson, as above.

5. Two private medical laboratories provide reliable testing for GBS.
Packs containing the necessary swabs can be obtained free, and a postal
service for carrying out the test normally costs around GBP32. Please contact
either Mullhaven Medical Laboratory on +44-(0)1234-831115 or at
info@mullhaven.co.uk, or The Doctors Laboratory on +44-(0)207-307-7373 or at
gbs@tdlpathology.com. GBSS has no links nor receives any money from any
laboratory.

6. Group B Strep Support (GBSS) is a UK charity set up to prevent GBS
infection in newborn babies. Jane and Robert Plumb founded GBSS following the
death of their second child, Theo, from GBS in 1996; they had a healthy
child, Camilla, in August 1998.

7. David Cameron MP has tabled three Early Day Motions asking the
Government to facilitate full implementation of the Royal College of
Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' (RCOG) national GBS guidelines, and urging
the Department of Health to ensure reliable testing for GBS carriage in
pregnancy is urgently made available on the NHS.