Group B Strep factsheet

Having and using the information provided here significantly reduces the likelihood of your baby developing GBS infection. Pregnancy can normally be managed so that babies born to women who carry GBS are protected and born free from GBS.

GBS infection in babies
In the unlikely event you need information about GBS infection in babies, approximately 60 per cent of these infections in babies are apparent at birth and 90 per cent are apparent within the baby's first two days ('early-onset' GBS infection), so they should be detected and treated in hospital.

Aggressive intravenous antibiotic therapy successfully treats most babies who develop GBS infection but, even with the best medical care, sadly 10-20 per cent of these sick babies die (typically from septicaemia, pneumonia or meningitis) and some suffer long?term problems.

Signs of GBS infection in newborn babies
Typical signs of 'early-onset' GBS infection (developing in the baby's first two days of life) include:

• Grunting
• Poor feeding
• Lethargy
• Low blood pressure
• Irritability
• High/low temperature
• High/low heart rates
• High/low breathing rates

Around 10-20% of GBS infection develops after the baby is two days old ('late-onset' GBS infection), usually as meningitis with septicaemia. Sadly, about 5-10 per cent of babies who develop late-onset GBS infection die and approximately a third suffer long-term problems.