SCREENING OF GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS

That this House is concerned by the UK National Screening Committee's (NSC) decision not to introduce routine screening of pregnant women for group B streptococcus; notes that every year hundreds of newborn babies suffer death and disability due to group B streptococcus infection and the numbers of reported cases in the UK has continued to rise by 23 per cent between 2003 and 2011; further notes the decline in group B streptococcus infection in babies where countries routinely screen; acknowledges the widespread support for screening during the NSC consultation with over 95 per cent of respondents in favour; recognises that at the Royal College of Midwives conference 75 per cent of midwives agreed that a routine offer of screening should be introduced; and calls on the UK National Screening Committee to reconsider this decision and follow the example of countries such as the US, Argentina, France, Kenya and Slovenia who support screening of group B streptococcus.