Hannah and Tim Taylor-Smith will never forget the pain they experienced while holding their little boy in his arms as he took his last breath just 14 hours and two minutes after he was born.
According to his parents, shortly after his birth, Zachary Victor showed signs of difficulty breathing. They felt completely helpless as they watched the medics fight for hours to save him before saying there was nothing more they could do.
The grieving couple were even more devastated when they found out why they had lost their son and realized that he could have been saved if his mother had a simple test and antibiotics prescribed.
Her life has been torn apart by an infection called GBS — group B Streptococcus bacteria, also known as Strep B — that kills an average of one child a week in the UK, according to Group B Strep Support (GBSS), a charity.
Found in the vagina, rectum, and intestines of 20 to 40 percent of women, this common bacterium is harmless to a carrier but can be dangerous if passed from mother to child at birth.
The UK does not routinely screen for GBS during pregnancy, as does the US, Canada, France, Germany and Spain, despite the test costing the NHS as little as £15. However, there is a lot of research being done for both the screening and the vaccine.
Hannah and Tim’s pain is exacerbated by the question of whether more could have been done to save Zach. They claim he was not seen by a pediatrician at Derby Royal Hospital for seven hours after the midwives signaled for help.
Hannah said: “Zak was on antibiotics, but by then it was too late. The infection caused him to go into shock and he developed sepsis.
“There is no greater pain than knowing that nothing can save your precious child. A feeling of utter despair gripped both of us as we watched our son’s death at 4:53 pm… a time that will forever remain in our hearts. “
Difference Between Streptococcus A and B
Streptococcus is a type of bacteria.
There are several strains, the most common of which are Streptococcus B and Streptococcus A. Each of these causes different types of diseases.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) or Streptococcus A is a common bacterium that many people carry in their throats and on their skin.
Some people do not get sick, while others may develop mild or more serious infections, including scarlet fever and tonsillitis. It is transmitted through close contact with an infected person.
Streptococcus B bacteria are usually found in the vagina or rectum. It is usually harmless but can cause infections, especially in newborns. Diseases caused by the bacterium include meningitis, lung infections, and blood poisoning.
Adults, usually over 65, can also get type B streptococcal infections. The most common are urinary tract infections (UTIs), skin and blood infections, and pneumonia.
“It was hard for him from the very beginning”
Sister Hannah, 32, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, went into labor four weeks early, and Zach was born early on November 17 weighing 6 lb 3 oz.
Tim, 37, said they were immediately concerned about his breathing. “He had problems from the very beginning. The midwife called the pediatrician. We were worried, but not too much so that no one rushed in a panic.”
Then, around 7:30 am, there was a change of staff and the couple said that another midwife called the pediatrician, but no one came.
A few hours later, the mother and baby were transferred to the maternity ward, and as Zach struggled to keep the temperature down, he was placed in a heated crib. “I was hugging Zack when I noticed that he was very lethargic, it was impossible to wake him up,” Tim said. “And he was slimy and groaned when he breathed, so I called the midwife.
She offered to tease Zach, which we did. But when Hannah took him in her arms, I asked, “Did he stop breathing?” Then we realized that he did it, and he crashed. The medical staff took him to the Rh ward and we stayed there not knowing what to do.
The neonatal team worked with Zack for 30 minutes and then went to the neonatal unit where he was given oxygen. A team from Leicester Hospital flew in to bring him in for specialized care, but he was too unstable to move.
Tim said: “There were about 30 people around our child trying to save him, but his blood pressure kept dropping and they told us nothing was helping. They said he showed signs of extensive brain damage and his outcome was grim.
“Then a paramedic appeared at the door and said: “Guys, he will die.” I just froze, then we rushed to him, they cut everything, and we just held him.
After Zach passed away, Hannah and Tim had to break the heartbreaking news to their other children at ages five, eight, eleven and fourteen. “Our 11-year-old became silent and passed out. They all came to him, and they were all devastated.
Hannah said: “The pediatrician didn’t show up despite being called for seven hours and didn’t show up until he passed out. If so, he may be here today.
The next day, the couple learned that the cause of Zach’s death was Streptococcus B.
Hannah and Tim now want screening to be offered to all pregnant women nationwide. Hannah said: “Ever since I shared Zach’s story on social media, I have been shocked at how many women don’t know about Strep B and the dangers. It is a simple and inexpensive test that can save lives and prevent lifelong disability.”
The family set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for GBSS.
Dr James Crampton, Acting Medical Director of Derby University Hospitals and the Burton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We offer our sincere condolences to Hannah and her family at this incredibly difficult time.
“Losing a child is a tragedy and while rare, we take these cases very seriously and an internal investigation into Zachary is already underway to find out what happened and to make sure his family has full answers. solves their problems.”
The hospital said it participated in a national screening study earlier this month that screens women over 35 weeks pregnant.
Regarding the allegations of substandard care, the Trust said it could comment further at this time as the investigation continues.
Trials of hope can lead to change
According to the GBSS, Streptococcus B is the leading cause of serious infections in newborns and meningitis in infants under three months of age, leaving one child per week disabled for life.
Those who carry the bacteria do not have symptoms, so testing is the only way to know if someone is a carrier. According to the NHS, if a pregnant woman has GBS, there is a small risk that it will be passed on to her baby during childbirth and cause her illness, which occurs in about 1 in 1,750 pregnancies. There is an “extremely low” chance of miscarriage.
According to the GBSS, in most developed countries, all pregnant women are encouraged to be tested for GBS late in pregnancy and then, if the test is positive, offered antibiotics during delivery. As a result, the infection rate of newborns has dropped significantly.
In the UK, testing is generally only offered to women who have had GBS in a previous pregnancy, with antibiotics being offered to women at higher risk during labour. GBSS claims that the infection rate has increased here and therefore a different approach is needed.
A massive study called GBS3, run by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, began this year in 2019 with 71 hospitals in England and Wales. Whether screening of pregnant women reduces the risk of neonatal infection compared to the current strategy is being studied. The process ends in May.
A separate iGBS3 study is testing streptococcus B vaccines that could be offered to pregnant women if proven safe and effective. It will study the amount of antibodies needed to protect children from GBS infection.
The Ministry of Health was asked to comment on the situation.
I’m pregnant – how do I get tested for GBS?
The test is currently not generally offered to all pregnant women, but your local hospital may be able to participate in the GBS3 Screening Study. You can see a map of participating hospitals here.
The study uses two tests to compare results: a laboratory test three to five weeks before the expected date of delivery (called the enriched culture medium test or ECM) and a test at the bedside at the beginning of labor (rapid test during labor).
According to the GBSS, the most effective test for group B streptococcus is the ECM test. It is the “gold standard” currently recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists clinical guidelines for use in high-risk groups in late pregnancy.
The ECM test is very sensitive – it detects nearly twice as many female GBS carriers as the universal swab test commonly used in the NHS to assess vaginal discharge, according to the GBSS.
Alternatively, you can pay for a self-test in private for around £40. The charity provides a list of recommended providers.
However, charity Tommy’s warns that no screening test is completely accurate. It states: “For example, 17 to 25 percent of women who have a positive Pap smear at 35 to 37 weeks of gestation will be GBS negative at birth. And 5 to 7 percent of women who are GBS negative at 35 to 37 weeks pregnant will be GBS positive at birth.
It states that many of the children severely affected by GBS infection are born prematurely before the suggested screening time is reached.
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Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.