October is Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month.
There are three types of group B strep (GBS) disease but prenatal-onset is often overlooked or not recognized, which discounts the thousands of women who have lost their child because the baby was infected by GBS in the womb. Group B Strep International wants to make sure that prenatal-onset group B strep disease is recognized and that more women and health care professionals become involved.
GBS can infect your baby even before your water breaks. GBS infections before birth are called “prenatal-onset.” Prenatal-onset GBS (POGBS) disease includes miscarriages and stillbirths caused by group B strep. Currently, babies who are born already infected with group B strep are classified as “early-onset” regardless of when the infection began. However, early-onset prevention strategies don’t prevent GBS infections beginning before a woman’s labor starts or her water breaks.
Click HERE to learn more about this health observance month and knowledge-based strategies to help prevent prenatal-onset group B strep disease.