Benefits and harms of antenatal/intrapartum screening for maternal GBS and use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis versus risk-based protocols or no intervention: a rapid review

We were commissioned by the UK National Screening Committee in January 2025 to undertake a series of rapid reviews to help inform policy decision-making on antenatal screening for maternal GBS.

The three reviews were:

A: Incidence and health consequences of neonatal GBS infection: a rapid review

B: Incidence and health consequences of all-cause neonatal infection: a rapid review

C: Benefits and harms of antenatal/intrapartum screening for maternal GBS and use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis versus risk-based protocols or no intervention: a rapid review

This project is now complete and the reviews were combined to produce and Evidence Summary report.

The Evidence Summary was submitted to the UK National Screening Committee in November 2025.

The findings of Benefits and harms of antenatal/intrapartum screening for maternal GBS and use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis versus risk-based protocols or no intervention: a rapid review have now been published. 

The citation for this publication is 

P.Campbell, C.Broderick, C.Fenton, et al., “Benefits and Harms of Antenatal/Intrapartum Screening for Maternal Group B Streptococcus and Use of Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis Versus Risk-Based Protocols or No Intervention: A Rapid Review,” Acta Paediatrica (2026): 1–13, https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.70568.

It can be accessed online: 
Benefits and Harms of Antenatal/Intrapartum Screening for Maternal Group B Streptococcus and Use of Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis Versus Risk-Based Protocols or No Intervention: A Rapid Review

You can download a PDF copy:

Campbell et al 2026 (980.53 KB / PDF)

The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251003709) and describes in detail how we planned to do this research: 
Benefits and harms of antenatal or intrapartum screening for maternal GBS carriage and subsequent use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis versus risk-based protocols or no intervention: a rapid review

Summary of findings

Infograph of findings
Infograph of findings

 

Impact

The Evidence Summary will inform policy decision-making on antenatal screening for maternal GBS.

It is also providing a reference point for two UK National Screening Committee modelling projects.  

  • Development of a scope for a GBS screening modelling exercise.
  • To explore the impact of newborn pulse oximetry screening on number of outcomes including neonatal sepsis (not just GBS).

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