Group B Streptococcus

Group B Streptococcus is a common bacterium that can be carried without symptoms and passed to a baby around delivery. In some newborns it can cause sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, or other serious illness. Prenatal screening and antibiotics during labor are used in appropriate circumstances to reduce early-onset disease. A legal review considers screening results, risk factors, antibiotic timing, newborn symptoms, testing, treatment, and whether any lapse in care caused harm.