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What is dangerous for rubella and other infections during pregnancy?
Last reviewed: 19.10.2021
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Not all infectious diseases are equally dangerous for the developing fetus. For example, influenza or other types of acute respiratory diseases quite often affect pregnant women, but they very rarely cause fetal development disorders. But rubella, which is rare enough, causes these disorders in almost 70% of cases. The severity of the lesion depends on the stage of intrauterine development at the time of infection. The lesions are divided into embryopathy (arise during the period of the laying of organs and the formation of the placenta in the first three months of pregnancy) and fetopathies (arise from the fourth month of pregnancy and up to the birth).
One of the leading causes of embryo and fetopathy is viral infections. But, as already mentioned, not all viruses are dangerous for the developing fetus. And the most dangerous in this respect are the viruses of rubella, cytomegaly, herpes simplex and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Rubella in both children and adults causes minimal disorders - rash, fever, malaise and an increase in cervical lymph nodes. But for the fetus can be fatal. He can have congenital malformations, and in severe cases, the fetus may even die. The severity of the lesion depends on the time of infection. If the infection of the mother occurred in the first two months of pregnancy, then the probability of infection of the fetus is 70-80%, if at the 3rd month - about 50%. Later, the frequency of intrauterine lesion is sharply reduced. If the fetus does not die in utero, the following developmental defects may be observed: congenital heart defects, deafness, blindness, central nervous system damage (microcephaly). If the infection occurred at a later date (after 12-16 weeks), then it may be accompanied by the appearance in newborns of typical "rubella" eruptions, which, however, quickly disappear.
If during pregnancy you had contacts with a sick rubella, then this pregnancy is better to be interrupted, that is, to make an artificial abortion. Some authors recommend that gammaglobulin be administered to pregnant women to prevent the occurrence of deformities. But still the bulk of researchers believe that the risk of an ugliness, even after its introduction, is so high that it is better to interrupt this pregnancy.
Cytomegalovirus infection is no less dangerous to the fetus. Among pregnant women, this disease is quite common (about 6%), and pregnancy itself activates latent cytomegaly.
For the fetus, primary infection of the mother is more dangerous than a latent infection.
At an early stage of fetal development, the virus causes its death and spontaneous abortion. If infection occurred at the stage of organ formation, neonates may have an increase in the liver and spleen, microcephaly (absence of the brain), hydrocephalus (fluid overflow of the skull), mental disorders (at an older age), eye damage,
Diagnosis of cytomegaly is difficult and not all laboratories can perform this analysis. But if the disease was detected in the first months of pregnancy, then in order to avoid the above problems pregnancy is recommended to be interrupted.
Simple herpes can cause spontaneous abortions in pregnant women with this infection, infection of the fetus and the newborn, which has jaundice, cyanosis, fever, breathing disorders, convulsions. In severe cases, death can occur.
Coronary disease in pregnant women is rare, as most women are vaccinated or transferred this infection in childhood. However, in recent years there has been an increase in this infection, including among pregnant women.
The presence of deformities in children after the transmitted measles by their mothers is not described, but this disease leads to spontaneous abortions and premature birth. A child born to a mother who already suffered from childhood or adolescence acquires an innate immunity to this disease, lasting about 3 months.
Concluding the consideration of this issue, I want to advise all pregnant (and non-pregnant too) - try not to get sick! If you are pregnant, limit visits to crowded places so as not to catch even a cold, observe personal hygiene (hepatitis A is transmitted through dirty hands), not to mention that you are simply forbidden to visit patients. If you need to visit a women's consultation, try to do it when there are fewer people.