The Group B Strep in Pregnancy & Babies Conference is a virtual, one‑day event bringing together leading clinicians, researchers and advocates to explore group B Strep in pregnancy and newborn babies. The programme covers prevention and screening approaches, testing options, antibiotic use, current UK policy and practice, and progress towards a vaccine. It includes expert speakers, current research and practical insights relevant to midwifery education and clinical practice. The conference is recorded, with access to session recordings available to registered delegates for three months after the event.

TOPICS COVERED

On the day, delegates will take part in a full programme of expert‑led virtual sessions exploring group B Strep in pregnancy and newborn babies, from lived experience and frontline practice through to research, policy and future prevention.
The conference will open with an overview of the current challenge posed by group B Strep, followed by contributions from families with lived experience, grounding the day in what this infection means in real terms for babies and their parents. Senior clinicians and researchers will then set out the latest evidence on protecting babies from group B Strep, including prevention strategies, screening approaches, testing options and the use of antibiotics in labour.
A key focus of the morning programme will be contributions from the GBS3 trial team, outlining the trial design and discussion of maternal testing for group B Strep in late pregnancy, alongside the wider policy and practice context in the UK. Delegates will also hear analysis of national data on current approaches to GBS prevention and an epidemiological update on group B Strep disease trends.
Throughout the day, researchers will present short abstract presentations on a wide range of group B Strep‑related topics, with dedicated panel discussions bringing together clinicians, researchers, advocates and family representatives to reflect on the evidence and its implications for practice.
The afternoon sessions will explore developments in guidance and care, including updates to the RCOG Green‑top Guideline on group B Strep and discussion of personalised approaches to screening and maternity care. Later sessions will focus on future prevention, with expert overviews of group B Strep vaccines currently in development and discussion of how maternal vaccination could fit into wider strategies to reduce infection in newborn babies.
The programme includes multiple live panel discussions, interactive polling and opportunities for reflection, allowing delegates to engage directly with speakers and consider how learning from the day applies to their own roles. The conference will be chaired by senior leaders in obstetrics, public health and maternity care, ensuring a balanced and authoritative perspective throughout.
All sessions will be recorded, and registered delegates will have access to the recordings for three months after the event, allowing participants to revisit content or engage with sessions they are unable to attend live.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Our event is for all healthcare professionals interested in group B Strep, especially those working in maternity and neonatal care.
This includes the following: Obstetricians, Microbiologists, Midwives, Neonatologists, Public Health Specialists, GPs and Paediatricians.
The conference sessions will help all of these specialists enhance their understanding of group B Strep, the latest research and developments, and help them to deliver the highest levels of care for the families in their care.

SPEAKERS

• Ms Jane Plumb, co-founder and chief executive, Group B Strep Support
• Dr Alison Wright, President, Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
• Prof Jane Daniels, Professor of Clinical Trials, University of Nottingham. (Co Chief Investigator, GBS3 Trial)
• Prof Kate Walker, Professor in Obstetrics, University of Nottingham. (Co Chief Investigator, GBS3 Trial)
• Dr Theresa Lamagni, Senior Epidemiologist, Healthcare-Associated Infection & Antimicrobial Resistance, UKHSA
• Prof Philip Steer, Emeritus Professor, Imperial College London, Chair of GBSS Clinical Advisory Panel
• Ms Jasmine Leonce, National Speciality Adviser for Maternity, NHS England
• Professor Paul Heath, Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at City St George’s, University of London
• Prof Edward Morris CBE FRCOG, Regional Medical Director, East of England, NHS England. Past President, RCOG
• Oliver Plumb, Advocacy & Information Manager, Group B Strep Support

For more information, please contact: [email protected].