Early Onset Group B Strep (EOGBS) in the newborn can occur in newborns who acquire GBS in late pregnancy or during delivery to a mother who is carrying it. Screening during pregnancy – most usually at 36 weeks  is carried out in many countries and women carrying GBS are treated intravenously with penicillin or Ampicillin at the onset of labour. Alternatively testing may be carried out on the basis of risk factors for maternal infection.

An analysis of the risk of maternal carriage, of neonatal contamination, and of newborn EOGBS disease was carried out to determine whether the existing strategy in the UK should be changed. This entailed a multi-parameter synthesis of many different types of randomized and non-randomised data.

Tim E Colbourn TW, Asseburg C, Bojke L, Philips Z, Welton NJ, Claxton K, Ades AE, Gilbert RE. Preventive strategies for group B streptococcal and other bacterial infections in early infancy: cost effectiveness and value of information analyses. British Medical Journal 2007, 335:655. doi:.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39325.681806.AD
http://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/335/7621/655.full.pdf

Colbourn T, Asseburg C, Bojke L, Philips Z, Claxton K, Ades AE, Gilbert RE. Prenatal screening and treatment strategies to prevent group B streptococcal and other bacterial infections in early infancy: cost-effectiveness and expected value of information analyses. Health Technology Assessment 2007, 11(29).  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3310/hta11290
http://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/volume-11/issue-29