article_snippet.sent: A leading hospital has slashed cases of a deadly infection that can kill newborn babies – by defying national guidelines to offer all pregnant women a simple screening test.
article_snippet.sent: This is despite the fact This is carried by one in four women and infects as many as 400 newborns in the UK every year.
article_snippet.sent: But a programme which offered screening to all expectant women at Northwick Park NHS hospital in North-West London resulted in not a single case of the bacteria spreading to infants among those who were tested and subsequently treated with antibiotics.
article_snippet.sent: A programme which offered screening to all expectant women at Northwick Park NHS hospital in North-West London resulted in not a single case of the bacteria spreading to infants among those who were tested .
article_snippet.sent: The consultant microbiologist who introduced the screening programme at Northwick Park, Dr Guduru Gopal Rao, said: 'There was a substantial burden of infection in our local community which was not being prevented by the national guidelines. '
article_snippet.sent: Dr Richard Nicholl, consultant neonatal paediatrician at London North West Healthcare NHS Trust said: 'It can lead to serious illness and high mortality rates so it is much better to prevent the infection, rather than attempt to treat the infection. '
article_snippet.sent: Harmless when carried by women, Harmless can prove fatal to babies who contract Harmless when passing through the birth canal.
highlights_snippet.sent: Current guidelines only recommend testing women deemed to be 'at risk'
  But screening at Northwick Park NHS Hospital, London, resulted in not a single case of the bacteria spreading to infants .
  