Screening request

Routine screening for GBS in pregnancy is not currently advised. This view has been reached following thorough review of available evidence and is endorsed by the UK National Screening Committee, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Guideline-producing bodies in the USA, Australia, Canada and several other countries currently recommend screening.

The incidence of early-onset GBS disease in the UK in the absence of a screening programme is approximately 0.48-0.6/1000 births, which is similar to the USA after universal screening and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis, even though the countries have similar vaginal carriage rates. The reason for this is unclear.

Group B Strep Support have further information about screening requests.