Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month is observed on October 1st.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as important facts you might want to know about Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month.

📅 What day is Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month 2024?

In 2024, Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month is on Sunday, October 1st. It is the 1st Sunday in October; in 2024, it is Tuesday. There are until the next observance. You also can learn all the exciting details and facts about October 1, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

Every year in October, Group B Strep International raises awareness about G.B.S. Disease. There are three forms of G.B.S. – prenatal-onset, early-onset, and late-onset. However, prenatal-onset G.B.S. is often overlooked or goes unnoticed.

📜 Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month History

According to contemporary medical literature, there are two types of G.B.S. illness that can affect newborns: early-onset, which occurs from birth through the first week of life, and late-onset, which occurs from the first week of life to several months of age. However, during pregnancy, newborns can also be vulnerable to group B strep infections.

G.B.S. was first identified as a pathogen by Edmond Nocard and Mollereau in the late 1880s. In 1938, three fatal cases of G.B.S. puerperal infections were documented, marking the first mention of G.B.S. as a human pathogen. By the early 1960s, G.B.S. was recognized as the main cause of infections in infants.

In general, G.B.S. is a harmless bacteria that can be found in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of up to 30% of healthy adults. However, it is the leading cause of bacterial illnesses in infants in the Western world, including serious conditions like sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis, which can lead to death or long-term consequences.

Fortunately, the death rate for early-onset G.B.S. has significantly decreased over the years, from 50% in the 1970s to a range of 2% to 10% in recent studies. In the United Kingdom, the reported incidence of G.B.S. infection in newborns was 0.72 per 1,000 live births in 2000-2001. In the United States, the death rate associated with early-onset G.B.S. is 2.1% for full-term babies and 19.2% for preterm newborns.

Since 1997, the rate of early-onset G.B.S. infection in the United States and Canada has decreased by more than half, from 0.7 cases per 1,000 live births to 0.32 cases per 1,000 live births in 2004.

Despite the fact that group B strep can infect newborns before birth, prenatal G.B.S. is not widely recognized as a condition. There is a lack of official data on the number of infants who have miscarried or died due to G.B.S. infection. Many doctors believe that prenatal-onset G.B.S. disease is not officially recognized because miscarriages and stillbirths caused by G.B.S. are relatively rare occurrences.

✅ Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month Facts

🔖 There may be no symptoms
Some individuals can have no symptoms when they are infected with G.B.S. bacteria, allowing the germs to spread within their bodies without causing any noticeable signs or effects.

🔖 It can likely cause meningitis
In the United States, G.B.S. bacteria are the primary culprits behind both meningitis and bloodstream infections that affect newborns within the first three months of their lives.

🔖 One in four pregnant women carry G.B.S.
G.B.S. bacteria can be found in the bodies of 25% of pregnant women.

👍 Why Is Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month Important

The majority of individuals are still unaware that GBS exists. Any knowledge about it is life-saving and should be freely disseminated.

Every expectant parent should be knowledgeable of prenatal-onset GBS. As potential parents, understanding this disease might help us make better, healthier decisions.

Group B Strep International is also producing GBS awareness and preventive materials for nations that do not currently have such programs in place. This has the potential to be a godsend for many families out there.

🙂 How To Observe Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month

⚡ Spread the message

⚡ Donate to the cause
Please lend a helping hand to Group B, Strep International by making a contribution. By doing so, you will support their mission of increasing awareness and preventing group B strep illness. Additionally, you can take the lead in organizing a fundraiser to enhance the availability of resources for this condition. By utilizing the funds from your community, you can greatly contribute to spreading crucial awareness.

⚡ Organize a fundraiser
Share on social media or engage in conversations with other expecting mothers or parents to spread awareness about the condition. Include the hashtag #starttheGBSconversation to help educate a larger audience.

📅 When is Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month?

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