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Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month dedicates every October to shedding light on a critical health issue. This month encourages education about Group B Streptococcus and its potential impact on pregnant women and newborns. Learn about prevention, testing, and support resources to protect maternal and infant health.
Want to sponsor Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month? Learn how
Expected Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month Deals
As a Cause holiday, Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month focuses on awareness and fundraising rather than commercial deals. Organizations like Group B Strep International lead the charge, often partnering with healthcare providers and advocacy groups to host educational webinars, community events, and donation drives throughout October. Expect to see campaigns from maternal health charities, local hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies highlighting the importance of GBS screening and prevention. Many initiatives will encourage direct donations or participation in awareness walks and online challenges. We will update this page with confirmed live events and donation opportunities as October approaches.
Platform Guide for Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #GBSDiseaseRecognitionMonth. Share infographics, personal stories (with consent), and facts about GBS prevention to raise awareness.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #GBSDiseaseRecognitionMonth. Join or create community groups to share resources, support, and discuss GBS awareness.
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Mention @NatlToday and use #GBSDiseaseRecognitionMonth. Participate in live Q&As with medical experts or share breaking news and research updates on GBS.
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month Hero
Dr. Carol J. Baker
History of Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Prenatal-onset G.B.S. Disease Recognition Month aims to promote awareness that group B strep (G.B.S.) can infect babies even before birth. It is sponsored by Group B Strep International. In April 2006, Group B Strep International was formed. It was created by John MacDonald and Marti Perhach who each lost a daughter to group B strep. It began as a national project in conjunction with a sister organization but then expanded its scope and the audience of the campaign worldwide.
Early-onset (birth through the first week of life) and late-onset (after the first week of life to several months of age) are the two types of G.B.S. disease that current medical literature acknowledges. However, babies are also susceptible to group B strep during pregnancy.
It was in the late 1880s that G.B.S. was first recognized as a pathogen by Edmond Nocard and Mollereau. In 1938, three fatal cases of puerperal infections caused by G.B.S. were reported. This was the first mention of the significance of G.B.S. as a human pathogen. By the early 1960s, G.B.S. was recognized as the main cause of infections in newborns.
Generally, G.B.S. is a harmless bacterium that is part of the human microbiota colonizing the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of up to 30% of healthy human adults. In the western world, G.B.S. is the main cause of bacterial infections in newborns, such as sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. This can lead to death or long-term after-effects.
Fortunately, early-onset G.B.S. fatality rates have declined, from 50% observed in studies from the 1970s to between two and 10% in recent years.
In 2000–2001, the reported overall incidence of G.B.S. infection in newborn babies in the U.K. was 0.72 per 1,000 live births. Today, the mortality associated with early-onset G.B.S. E.O.D. in the U.S. is 2.1% among term newborns and 19.2% among preterm newborns.
In the United States and Canada, the rate of early-onset infection reduced by more than half from 0.7 cases per 1000 live births in the U.S in 1997. In 2004, it reduced to 0.32 cases per 1,000 live births.
Even though group B strep can infect babies before birth, Prenatal-onset G.B.S. is not yet a widely-known disease. There are no official statistics on how many babies have been miscarried or stillborn due to G.B.S. It is believed that the reason prenatal-onset G.B.S. disease has not been officially recognized is that general medical opinion considers G.B.S.-caused miscarriages and stillbirths to be rare occurrences.
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month timeline
G.B.S. is first recognized as a pathogen by Nocard and Mollereau.
G.B.S. is mentioned in research as a human pathogen for the first time.
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by the C.D.C. specifically states that GBS can cross intact amniotic membranes.
Group B Strep International is founded by John MacDonald and Marti Perhach.
The First Annual Virtual Symposium on Prenatal-onset Group B Strep Disease is held from October 15 to 25.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Local businesses, especially those in the healthcare, wellness, or baby product sectors, can support Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month by hosting educational events or distributing informative materials. Pharmacies can highlight GBS testing and treatment options, while maternal health clinics can offer free information sessions. Retailers can dedicate a portion of sales from baby-related products to GBS research or partner with advocacy groups for donation-matching campaigns throughout October.
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month FAQs
When is Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month?
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month runs throughout October 2026, dedicating the entire month to raising awareness about this often-overlooked condition and its impact on maternal and infant health.
How common is GBS in pregnant women?
Approximately 25% of all healthy pregnant women carry Group B Streptococcus bacteria in their intestine, vagina, or rectum, often without experiencing any symptoms themselves, making screening crucial.
What are the types of GBS disease?
GBS disease can manifest as prenatal-onset, early-onset, or late-onset. Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month specifically highlights the often-overlooked prenatal form, which can affect the urinary tract, placenta, womb, and amniotic fluid.
What does GBS stand for?
GBS stands for Group B Streptococcus, a common bacterium that can be found in healthy individuals but poses significant risks, especially during pregnancy and to newborns if transmitted during labor and delivery.
How to Observe Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Donate to the cause
Donate whatever you can to Group B Strep International. This enables them to achieve their mission of promoting awareness and prevention of group B strep disease. ​
Organize a fundraiser
Take the initiative to arrange a fundraiser to make better resources on group B strep disease available. The funds raised by your community can help in spreading much-needed awareness.
Spread the message
Post on social media or talk to other parents or pregnant women. You can use the hashtag #starttheGBSconversation to educate more people about the disease.
5 Facts About Group B Strep
One in four pregnant women carry G.B.S.
About one in four pregnant women carry G.B.S. bacteria in their bodies.
There may be no symptoms
People may be asymptomatic which means G.B.S. bacteria may come and go in people’s bodies without symptoms.
It can likely cause meningitis
In the United States, the leading cause of meningitis and bloodstream infections in a newborn’s first three months of life is G.B.S. bacteria.
Newborns of infected mothers are at risk
If the mother tests positive during pregnancy, the risk of newborns getting G.B.S. disease increases.
The bacteria grows back quickly
Pregnant women must take antibiotics during labor to prevent early-onset of G.B.S. disease in newborns; the antibiotics only help during labor because the bacteria grow back quickly.
Why Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month is Important
It exposes people to an important reality
Most people out there are still unaware of even the existence of G.B.S. Any information on it is life-saving and should be shared widely.
It helps us become better parents
Knowledge about prenatal-onset G.B.S. is something that every parent-to-be should have. Knowledge about this condition can help us make better and healthier choices as future parents.
It benefits people across the world
Group B Strep International is also developing G.B.S. awareness and prevention resources for countries that do not have any readily available programs. This can be a blessing for so many families out there.
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