What are the dangers of rubella and other infections during pregnancy?

Not all infectious diseases are equally dangerous for the developing fetus. For example, flu or other types of acute respiratory diseases quite often affect pregnant women, but they very rarely cause fetal developmental disorders. However, rubella, which is quite rare, 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. Lesions are divided into embryopathies (occur during the period of organ formation and placenta formation in the first three months of pregnancy) and fetopathies (occur from the fourth month of pregnancy until birth).

One of the leading causes of embryo- and feto-pathies is viral infections. But, as has already been said, not all viruses are dangerous for the developing fetus. And the most dangerous in this regard are rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Rubella causes minimal disturbances in both children and adults - rash, fever, mild malaise and enlarged cervical lymph nodes. However, it can be fatal for the fetus. It may develop congenital malformations, and in severe cases, the fetus may even die. The severity of the lesion depends on the time of infection. If the mother is infected in the first two months of pregnancy, the probability of infection of the fetus is 70-80%, if in the 3rd month - about 50%. Later, the frequency of intrauterine infection decreases sharply. If the fetus does not die in utero, it may have the following malformations: congenital heart defects, deafness, blindness, damage to the central nervous system (microcephaly). If the infection occurs at a later date (after 12-16 weeks), it may be accompanied by the appearance of typical "rubella" rashes in newborns, which, however, disappear quite quickly.

If you had contact with a rubella patient during pregnancy, it is better to terminate this pregnancy, i.e. have an artificial abortion. Some authors recommend giving gamma globulin to pregnant women to prevent deformities. However, the majority of researchers believe that the risk of deformities, even after its administration, is so high that it is better to terminate this pregnancy.

Cytomegalovirus infection is no less dangerous for the fetus. Among pregnant women, this disease is quite common (about 6%), and pregnancy itself activates latent cytomegalovirus.

Primary maternal infection is more dangerous for the fetus than latent infection.

At an early stage of fetal development, the virus causes its death and spontaneous abortion. If infection occurs at the stage of organ formation, newborns may experience enlarged liver and spleen, microcephaly (absence of brain), hydrocephalus (overflow of fluid in the skull), mental disorders (at an older age), eye damage, etc.

Diagnosis of cytomegalovirus 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-mentioned problems, it is recommended to terminate the pregnancy.

Herpes simplex can cause spontaneous abortions in pregnant women suffering from this infection, infection of the fetus and newborn, who develops jaundice, cyanosis, fever, breathing problems, convulsions. In severe cases, death may occur.

Measles is a rare disease among pregnant women, as most women are vaccinated or had the infection as children. However, there has been an increase in the incidence of this infection recently, including among pregnant women.

The presence of deformities in children after their mothers have had measles has not been described, but this disease leads to spontaneous abortions and premature births. A child born to a mother who has already been ill in childhood or adolescence acquires innate immunity to this disease, which lasts for about 3 months.

In conclusion of this issue, I would like to advise all pregnant women (and non-pregnant women too) - try not to get sick! If you are pregnant, limit your 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 the fact that you are simply forbidden to visit the sick. If you need to visit a women's consultation, try to do it when there are fewer people there.