Written question asked by Mark Todd (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 May 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 June 2005. It was answered by Jane Kennedy (Labour) on Monday, 6 June 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Streptococcus Testing

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research her Department has conducted into Group B streptococcus testing during pregnancy.

Answer: The current position is that routine screening of group B streptococcus should not be offered to all pregnant women. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guideline on antenatal care states that: "Pregnant women should not be offered routine antenatal screening for group B streptococcus because evidence of its clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness remains uncertain". The United Kingdom national screening committee (NSC) has commissioned an electronic learning resource for health care professionals from the national electronic library for health to promote the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' guideline on prevention of early onset neonatal group B streptococcal disease. The NSC is also considering further research needs. As part of this, it has asked the health technology assessment programme to undertake two studies: 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. Prenatal screening for group B streptococcal disease: protocol development for a possible clinical trial.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 1824; 434 c439-40W;434 c440-1W
Session: 2005-06
Related items: Streptococcus Testing
Monday, 6 June 2005
Written questions
House of Commons; Streptococcus Testing
Monday, 6 June 2005
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Codes of practice Pregnancy Screening Research Streptococcus