When our son Freddie was born it was the happiest moment of our lives. Just a few hours later he was being rushed into the intensive care unit with an infection neither of us had heard of, or been told about before.

Luckily, he displayed symptoms of early onset GBS whilst still in hospital, and was treated straight away. Despite this, he still developed sepsis and became very ill. Thankfully, with treatment, he went on to make a full recovery, but we now know how lucky we really were.

On average in the UK and Republic of Ireland, every month

• 66 babies are diagnosed with group B Strep infection
  • 40 early-onset + 26 late-onset GBS infection
• 56 babies make a full recovery
  • 35 early-onset + 21 late-onset GBS infection
• 6 babies survive with long-term physical or mental disabilities
  • 3 early-onset + 3 late-onset GBS infection
• 4 babies die from their group B Strep infection
  • 2 early-onset + 2 late-onset GBS infection

Group B Streptococcus is the UK's most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies and of meningitis in babies under age 3 months. Yet most group B Strep infections are preventable. Group B Strep Support informs families & health professionals about group B Strep to save tiny lives.

The infections that group B Strep most commonly causes in newborn babies are sepsis (infection of the blood), pneumonia (infection in the lungs), and meningitis (infection of the fluid and lining around the brain).

Group B Strep Support is a UK charity working to stop group B Strep infection in babies; educating new and expectant parents, doctors, and midwives about group B Strep and providing information and support to affected families. The charity receives no funding from the government.

It is vital that Group B Strep Support continues to educate families and health professionals to prevent this potentially devastating infection. The charity believes that all pregnant women should be informed about Group B Strep and offered the opportunity of a GBS-specific test late in pregnancy as part of their antenatal care.  

Group B Strep Support's priorities are:

Campaign – We campaign to improve policies and practices to prevent and treat group B Strep infection, including the introduction of effective and accurate antenatal testing.

Support – We provide support to families, especially parents suffering from the devastating consequences of GBS infection and those seeking information about group B Strep.

Awareness – We save lives through awareness and education, giving new and expectant parents and healthcare professionals free up-to-date, accurate and evidence-based information about group B Strep.

Research – We support research to find new and to enhance existing ways to prevent group B Strep infection in babies.