Expectant mothers may sometimes feel increased fatigue, muscle pain or low-grade fever. These symptoms should be paid attention to, since many infections during pregnancy often go unnoticed, and sometimes asymptomatic in the mother, but can be transmitted to the newborn and even cause serious consequences. Statistics say that one child out of 100 is born with a congenital infection. Congenital infections affect 4,000 to 6,000 children worldwide every year.
What are the most common infections during pregnancy?
The most common and well-known infection that can put a child at risk is beta-hemolytic group B streptococcus ( Streptococcus agalactiae ). It is a congenital infection that can lead to septicemia, pneumonia and meningitis with devastating consequences for the newborn, which can be almost completely avoided if maternal screening with vaginal and rectal swabs is performed in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Cytomegalovirus infections are also very common in pregnant women, and congenital infection with this virus is recognized as the second leading cause of congenital deafness in children after congenital deafness of genetic origin. There is currently no treatment for this virus that can be safely administered during pregnancy, and there is no vaccine. However, early diagnosis of the infection in mothers allows the newborn to be properly examined at birth and treated with antiviral drugs that reduce the likelihood of deafness and late neurological defects.
Syphilis, an infection that doctors thought was a thing of the past, has made a resurgence in recent years and, if left untreated, can cause miscarriage, birth mortality and bone deformities. Likewise, toxoplasmosis is a dangerous infection for a newborn if the mother is infected during pregnancy. It causes serious neurological and eye damage to the baby, which can be avoided with antibiotic therapy given to the mother.
Erythema infectiosum is an exanthematous disease that usually occurs in childhood and is caused by parvovirus B19. Although most adults (about 70%) develop natural immunity to the virus, pregnant women who become infected risk passing it on to their fetus. Vertical transmission, that is, the transmission of the virus from mother to child, occurs in approximately 40% of cases and can occur within 4 to 12 weeks after infection. Potential risks to the fetus include anemia, hydrops, and death.
Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that can be transmitted to a newborn during birth. In case of hepatitis B, it is mandatory to test for HBsAg in the second and eighth months of pregnancy. This test is necessary to identify mothers who are carriers of the virus and prevent transmission of the virus to the newborn. If the mother tests positive, the newborn will be given the hepatitis B vaccine and specific immunoglobulins within 12-24 hours of birth, which will reduce the risk of transmission to 1%. For hepatitis C, the risk of transmission during childbirth is estimated at about 5%, especially in mothers with positive viral RNA. In these cases, a cesarean section may be offered.
Can infections during pregnancy cause miscarriage? Yes, almost any infection can cause miscarriage. Cytomegalovirus can be fatal if contracted early in pregnancy, toxoplasma and syphilis can also cause miscarriage and a significant percentage of fetal mortality. Streptococcus, on the other hand, is usually not associated with this risk, since infection occurs during vaginal delivery and development is completed in the full-term baby. Finally, maternal syphilis is a very common cause of miscarriage. According to the World Health Organization, worldwide cases of congenital syphilis range from 728 thousand to 1 million 520 thousand each year.
The specialists of the Bogolyuby Medical Center draw the attention of future mothers to the fact that many of the harmful consequences of infections for a newborn could be reduced, and sometimes completely eliminated, if screening and prevention are practiced at the right time and in the right amount.
