Transferred infections

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Falling ill during your pregnancy can pose a risk to your child. Find out what

you need to watch out for

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Falling

ill during pregnancy is not a pleasant thought. You can get exposed to

people with viral infections at work and at home. Most viruses will not

hurt the baby but some can be transmitted through the placenta or

during birth. Also, there can be times when an infection you are not

aware of, can be harmful to your baby.

 

Rama

Rao, a bank employee who is seven months pregnant, reveals her plight,

“I work for a bank and I’ve decided to work till full term. I commute

by bus everyday. I try to take care of myself but it is difficult to

avoid infections. We, as a family do take steps to reduce the risk of

problems for myself as well as my baby by going for regular check-ups.”

While the world is celebrating October 14-20 as the International

Infection Preventive Week, which brings worldwide attention to the

impact and importance of infection prevention and its control, Rama

rightly says that prenatal care is very important even for minor coughs

and colds. This can help prevent complications.

 

Says Dr Rishma Pai, consultant gynaecologist at the Jaslok and Lilavati

Hospitals, Mumbai, “The

child who is infected during pregnancy or delivery may show early signs

of disease with fever and sepsis and this has a high death rate for the

newborn. Other intrauterine infections may cause eye defects, hearing

loss, mental retardation, abnormalities of arms and legs, skin lesions,

heart defects etc.” 

 

Infections to watch out for

Informs

Dr Pai, “During pregnancy the most common infections which can be

passed on to the baby are the ‘TORCH’ infections, which are toxoplasma,

rubella, cytomegalo virus (CMV) and herpes. Also, syphilis and human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are infections, which the woman may have

prior to pregnancy and these can be transmitted to her baby during

pregnancy and delivery.”

 

“During

delivery the most common infections which can be transferred to baby

and cause harm to it are, group B streptococci (GBS), gonorrhoea,

hepatitis B, herpes, HIV, CMV and fungal infections”, says Dr Pai.

 

Toxoplasma

gondii parasites present in cat faeces, undercooked raw meat, and

contaminated soil can cause toxoplasmosis in pregnant moms who then

pass the infection on to their babies through the placenta. The

infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, brain damage, epilepsy,

deafness etc. If you have the infection while you are pregnant your

doctor may advice an ultrasound to look out for signs of infection in

the baby. It

is better to be tested before you get pregnant for rubella or German

measles, a viral infection. If you are not immune you can get the

vaccine. Rubella virus can pass on to the baby through placenta. If

this happens during the first trimester, it can cause miscarriage or

problems in the baby. CMV

can be passed from the mother to the baby during delivery or through

breast milk at birth. The infection can cause premature birth, birth

defects, mental retardation or liver disorders. There is no way to

treat CMV but you can prevent the infection. Women working at day-care

centres or at health care centres are at a greater risk than others. If

you are pregnant and are in such jobs, remember to wash your hands

after contact with body secretions or after handling urine-soaked

diapers. Herpes

simplex virus can cause genital herpes. If the mother has genital

herpes the infection can be passed on to the baby in the womb, during

delivery as it passes through the birth canal or just after birth. The

infant can get cerebral palsy, blindness, seizures or meningitis if

infected. Doctors may advice Caesarean section and anti-viral therapy. According

to Dr Nandita Palshetkar, obstetrician and infertility specialist

attached to Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, the chances of a human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive mother passing the infection to

her baby are about 19- 25 per cent while breastfeeding has a 25 per

cent chance of HIV transmission to the baby. Using antiretroviral

drugs, delivery by caesarean section and formula milk feeding can

prevent the transmission of HIV virus. Around

15-20 per cent of women have GBS bacteria in the vagina and lower

intestine. These bacteria can infect the baby just before delivery or

during delivery. The baby can develop meningitis, severe infection or

pneumonia. The infection can bring about premature labour. The

treatment involves intravenous administration of antibiotics during

labour. “Infections

such as Varicella zoster viruses (chicken pox) are of importance only

if they happen for the first time during early or late pregnancy”,

avers Dr Pai. This is because infection during early

pregnancy can cause birth defects. However, the risk of infection is as

low as 2 per cent. Both

chlamydia and gonorrhoea are sexually transmitted diseases caused by

bacteria, which can remain in the vagina without any symptoms. The

infection can pass on to the baby during pregnancy or during delivery.

Chlamydia affects around 5 per cent of pregnancies. The newborns may

develop infections of the eye, chest, genital and gastrointestinal

tract. Both these infections can be treated with antibiotics. Women

with hepatitis B virus, have a 70-90 per cent chance of passing the

virus to the baby during or soon after delivery through contact with

blood or other body fluids and possibly

through breast milk. It is therefore important to test the pregnant

mother. If the baby is positive, within 12 hours of birth, the infant

is given Hepatitis B Immune Globulin and first of the three Hepatitis B vaccine

shots, to be repeated at third and six months. Hepatitis

C virus can also pass on to the baby in about 6 per cent of cases;

however, the risk can double if the mom is HIV positive. Infection

occurs when the baby comes in contact with the mother’s blood at

delivery. There is no risk from breastfeeding the baby.

 

Treating infections

 

Monitoring

and testing for infections are a must for pregnant moms. Says Dr

Palshetkar, “Screening of HIV, Hepatitis B and syphilis or sexually

transmitted diseases (STDs) is necessary for all pregnant women. And if

the infection is present before conception, this also should be treated

so that the transmission of the baby can be prevented.”

 

Asserts

Dr Palshetkar, “The treatment of acute infections is essential. The

mother can take medicines under medical supervision. If she is exposed

to an infection such as measles, she can be given Ig (Immunoglobulin).

In case she is exposed to chickenpox, she needs blood tests to check on

her immunity status.” Regarding vaccinations, says Dr. Pai, “You need

to be immunized or vaccinated for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella),

hepatitis B, chicken pox etc as a child”.

 

Self help

Avoid sharing drinking glasses or cups Wash hands after handling vegetables, raw

meats and foods Cook meat well Wash soil off from vegetables and fruits before

eating If you have a pet cat, ask someone else to clean out the dirty cat litter

or use gloves and wash your hands thoroughly Use gloves while gardening and wash

your hands afterwards Cover your food. Keep flies and cockroaches away Practice

safe sex to prevent sexually transmitted diseases Take blood tests as advised by

your doctor Take vaccine shots on time

 

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