Virtual conference Group B Strep in Pregnancy & Babies Our virtual one-day conference Group B Strep in Pregnancy & Babies is on Wednesday, 2 June 2021. It’s a must-attend event for anyone interested in group B Strep. The conference brings together worldleading experts to talk about group B Strep prevention policies, different testing options, antibiotic usage, and the progress towards a GBS vaccine. The morning and afternoon sessions will be chaired by Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians
GBS3 Trial This important £2.8 million trial will establish which prevention strategy is best for the UK at reducing group B Strep infection in newborn babies. After a lengthy pause due to the pandemic, the GBS3 trial is now underway, and has randomised the first four hospitals. 40 hospitals will be allocated to standard care (as described by the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists), 20 to ECM testing at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy, and 20 using a rapid test in labour. As we go to press, one hospital has been randomised to ECM testing (Northwick
and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Kathryn Gutteridge, President of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), featuring experts from Public Health England, the UK National Screening Committee, the World Health Organisation, Pfizer and the GBS3 Trial. Plus our very own CEO, Jane Plumb, and the Chair of our Medical Advisory Panel, Prof Philip Steer. It’s going to be a fabulous day! View the full programme and book your place at https:// gbss.org.uk/professional-resources/ conference-2021/
Park) and three to standard care (Coventry & Warwick, Nottingham and Royal Devon & Exeter). The GBS3 team is working closely with many hospitals to get them GBS3 ready and monthly randomisations are scheduled, but they’re still looking for more sites and invite ‘Expressions of Interest’ from hospitals via a site-selection survey. Visit gbss.org.uk/GBS3 for the latest information and how to get your hospital involved. GBS3 Trial results, expected in 2023, will provide evidence for the next review of the UK’s national policy on screening pregnant women for GBS carriage. 7
