One of the most precious experiences in a woman’s life is delivering a baby and caring for him or her as a mother. Like during pregnancy, whatever mothers ingest is transferred to their babies after delivery. For the same reasons, if she acquiesces to some kind of viral infection or chronic illness during pregnancy, chances are that her children will too suffer the same complications. In this article on kidsrush.com, we will tell you about five common viral infections during pregnancy. Let’s start!
The following factors increase the risk of a woman contracting viral infections during pregnancy:
People become more and more immune to diseases as they grow, but gynecologists nowadays immunize pregnant women against many infections, reducing their risk of viral infections during pregnancy. (1)
- There is a chance that some infections could spread to the baby in the placenta or during delivery after the mother has given birth.
- This would be extremely dangerous and would possibly cause pregnancy complications such as preterm labor.
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During pregnancy women are more at risk from the following viral infections:
1. Chickenpox
Varicella-zoster is a virus that causes chickenpox.
- The virus can sometimes cross the placenta of a pregnant woman placenta and infect the child during the first trimester of pregnancy, which can cause serious complications.
- Affected individuals may have various birth defects including cell loss in the cerebral cortex in the brain, leg deformities, hydronephrosis in the kidney, and abnormalities in the retina.
- Neuromuscular abnormalities can result in chickenpox if an exposed baby is exposed during delivery.
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2. Enterovirus Infections
Hepatitis, poliovirus, coxsackievirus are viruses referred to in this context as subgroups of the hepatitis virus, of which the hepatitis virus is the most common.
- Both mother and fetus can be fatally affected by these viruses since they can infect the skin, lungs, brain, and central nervous system.
- It is important to take the right measures to protect yourself from hepatitis A and B after they are contracted.
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3. Hepatitis A Infection
Contrary to virulent Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A is a milder virus that gets into contact with a person’s excreta or stool after exposure to contaminated material.
- They may include nausea, vomiting, jaundice, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, jaundice, and fever during pregnancy.
- Yet; these symptoms are common to most viral diseases such as hepatitis A, making it very difficult to separate them.
- Additionally, some patients possess all of these symptoms despite having had hepatitis A for many years.
- There is no long-term impact of hepatitis A in the mother or baby when this infection is prevented with the hepatitis A vaccine.
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4. Hepatitis B Viral Infection
Viral infections can affect the liver and make it ineffective.
- A symptom pattern similar to hepatitis A is usually observed with hepatitis B however, the severity of the signs and symptoms are usually greater as well.
- If it is not treated immediately, it can persist, causing liver cancer in the mother of the child, scarring in the liver, liver failure, and even death.
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5. Cytomegalovirus
CMW, or Cytomegalovirus, is a benign herpes virus common to infants and young children.
- Nurseries and daycare centers are especially vulnerable to infections among pregnant women. Therefore, these women should be diligent in maintaining their own personal hygiene practices, washing their hands frequently if they are exposed to urine or saliva.
- Approximately 0.5%-1.5 percent of births are infected with this virus and there is substantial evidence to suggest that four in five cases of congenital CMW infections result from maternal infection at birth.
Many viral infections also occur during pregnancy when women cannot avoid them by avoiding infection sources, but getting immunized and engaging in good hygiene can help to lower your risk of getting infected.
In the event you notice any of the symptoms above, you should seek medical attention immediately.
In the section below, let us hear your opinion on viral infections during pregnancy.