Group B Strep Support (GBSS) Awareness Month is observed every July across the UK. In 2025, the campaign is more vital than ever, shining a spotlight on Group B Streptococcus (GBS)—a potentially life-threatening infection that can affect newborns during labour and delivery. Through increased awareness, better education, and advocacy, GBSS Awareness Month 2025 aims to empower families and health professionals to take proactive steps in preventing GBS-related complications.
What is Group B Strep?
Group B Streptococcus is a common bacterium found in the gut and lower genital tract of many healthy adults. While it usually causes no symptoms, it can pose serious risks during pregnancy and childbirth. One in four pregnant women carries GBS, and it can be passed to babies during labour or birth, sometimes resulting in:
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Sepsis
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Pneumonia
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Meningitis
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Stillbirth or neonatal death in rare but tragic cases
Each year in the UK, around 800 babies develop group B Strep infection, and one in 19 infected babies dies. Many survivors are left with long-term health issues, including cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and developmental delays.
The Role of Group B Strep Support (GBSS)
GBSS, the UK charity dedicated to raising awareness and offering support, has campaigned tirelessly for better prevention policies, access to accurate information, and increased screening for expectant mothers. Since its inception, GBSS has played a pivotal role in:
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Educating the public and healthcare professionals
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Advocating for national screening policies
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Supporting affected families
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Funding research into better prevention and treatment
The GBSS Vision
The GBSS vision is a UK where no baby dies from group B Strep infection and where families affected by GBS receive the care and support they need.
GBSS Awareness Month 2025: What’s Happening?
This year’s Awareness Month centres around the theme: “Test. Talk. Treat.”
1. Test: Call for Routine GBS Screening
In countries like the USA and Germany, routine GBS testing at 35–37 weeks of pregnancy is standard, significantly reducing infection rates. The UK currently follows a risk-based approach, which means many carriers are missed. GBSS is pushing for universal testing, a simple swab test that could save lives.
2. Talk: Empowering Parents with Knowledge
One of the major goals this month is encouraging open conversations between expectant parents and healthcare providers. GBSS provides downloadable resources, infographics, and checklists for parents to use at midwife and GP appointments.
Key messages include:
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Ask about GBS at your next antenatal appointment
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Understand your risk factors
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Know what to do if you’re told you carry GBS
3. Treat: The Importance of Antibiotics During Labour
When a mother is identified as a GBS carrier, intravenous antibiotics during labour can reduce the risk of early-onset GBS infection by 85–90%. The charity is advocating for wider use of this preventive measure where appropriate.
Personal Stories: The Heart of the Campaign
Throughout July, GBSS shares real-life stories from families affected by GBS. These powerful testimonies raise awareness in the most human way, driving home the importance of early detection and intervention.
You can read these stories or share your own via the official website and social media channels under hashtags like #GBSAwarenessMonth, #TestTalkTreat, and #GBSS2025.
How to Get Involved in GBSS Awareness Month 2025
Whether you’re a parent, midwife, healthcare worker, or just someone who wants to make a difference, there are several ways to show your support this July:
🟢 Donate or Fundraise
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Take part in #StepUpForGBSS, a walk or run challenge
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Host a cake sale or coffee morning
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Create a fundraiser on JustGiving or GoFundMe
🟢 Wear Blue for GBS
Encourage your workplace, school, or local community to wear blue on a chosen day in July to raise awareness.
🟢 Share Awareness Materials
Download free posters, social media graphics, and videos from the GBSS website and help spread the word.
🟢 Email Your MP
Push for policy change by emailing your local MP and urging them to support universal screening for GBS during pregnancy.
GBSS and the Call for Change
In 2024, GBSS submitted evidence to NICE and the Department of Health advocating for routine GBS testing. They also supported a major study on rapid testing in labour, with promising early results. In 2025, they continue pushing for:
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National implementation of rapid intrapartum testing
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Inclusion of GBS information in NHS antenatal classes
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Continued training for midwives and obstetricians
Key Statistics About Group B Strep
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1 in 4 women carry GBS in pregnancy
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Around 800 babies are diagnosed annually in the UK
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1 in 19 infected babies dies
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75% of GBS cases could be prevented with better testing and antibiotics
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The UK does not yet offer routine GBS screening, unlike other developed countries
Why GBSS Awareness Month Matters
Raising awareness isn’t just about facts and figures—it’s about saving lives. Many parents whose babies have been affected by GBS had never heard of it. Awareness is the first step toward prevention. GBSS Awareness Month 2025 is not just a campaign; it’s a call to action.
When more people know about GBS, more families can ask for testing, make informed decisions, and receive timely care. By amplifying this message, we move closer to a future where no baby’s life is cut short by a preventable infection.
Final Thoughts: Every Voice Matters
GBSS Awareness Month 2025 is an opportunity for everyone to play a part—no matter how small—in protecting babies and supporting affected families. With better education, routine testing, and stronger advocacy, we can make GBS infections a thing of the past.
Join the conversation. Spread the word. Save a life.