Question reference: S4W-08464
- Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 29 June 2012
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Current status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 July 2012
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on routine testing for group B streptococcus in pregnancy.
Answer
The Scottish Government is given independent advice on screening by the UK National Screening Committee. The UK National Screening Committee currently recommends that a national screening programme for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) should not be introduced. This policy is currently being reviewed.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has also considered the potential benefits and harm of screening for GBS during pregnancy and has agreed that there is no clear evidence to show that screening all pregnant women in the UK would be beneficial.