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Dept of Health

Answer

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many pregnant women were tested on the NHS for group B streptococcus in each of the last three years; [199707] (2) how many babies were born having contracted group B streptococcus from their mother in each of the last three years; how many of these (a) died, (b) contracted meningitis and (c) contracted other related conditions; and what the cost of treating these babies was in each year; [199710] (3) what estimate he has made of the cost of providing IV antibodies from the onset of labour to all pregnant women identified as carriers of group B streptococcus. [199711] Dr. Ladyman: Information relating to the testing of pregnant women for group B streptococcus (GBS) is not centrally available. It is for local clinicians to decide whether to test individual women for this infection. Guidelines have been issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), as well as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Data on the number of babies who are born having contracted the infection is not collected centrally. However, a descriptive analysis of cases of GBS infection in which GBS was isolated from blood (bacteraemia) for the year 2003 only, has been published by the Health Protection Agency from routine reports received from microbiology laboratories in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England and Wales, a total of 208 cases of GBS bacteraemia occurred in the first week after birth (early onset) and a further 103 cases of GBS bacteraemia occurred between seven and 90 days after birth (late onset). A special United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland study of infants up to 90 days old with invasive GBS infection (GBS isolated from a normally sterile site), diagnosed between 1 February 2000 and 28 February 2001 found a total of 377 cases of GBS infection that occurred in the first week of life, 53 of who died. Following on from the latter study, a further study is being conducted in collaboration with the Oxford perinatal epidemiology group into the economic impact of this infection. The cost of providing intravenous antibiotics is not currently centrally available. However, this information will be sought as part of the further work that the National Screening Committee is undertaking on this important topic.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

428 c130-1W; 199707;199710;199711

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Costs Babies Antibiotics Medical treatments Pregnancy Screening Meningitis Streptococcus

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk