IUI during pregnancy: signs, diagnosis, treatment and consequences

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Expectant mothers should especially carefully monitor their he alth, because during pregnancy the female body undergoes serious changes, its defenses work to the limit, and this can lead to the development of various infections.

It is known that any disease caused by viruses or other pathogenic microorganisms is a serious threat to the fetus. Parasitic agents, easily penetrating the placenta, can provoke the development of intrauterine infection, which is extremely dangerous for the baby.

Therefore, every woman who is preparing to become a mother soon must know everything about intrauterine infections: why they develop, what symptoms are characterized, what methods are used to treat them.

What is this pathology

In medicine, the term IUI (intrauterine infections) refers to a large group of diseases in which an infectious lesion of the fetus occurs. The provoking factor, as a rule, is the penetration of pathogenic microflora into the womb.

Similar process when out of timeinitiated adequate therapy can lead to very serious consequences, including the death of the baby.

Basically, the infection gets to the developing fetus directly from the sick mother. The fact is that during pregnancy, a mother with an unborn child has a common blood supply system. For this reason, there is a free exchange of body fluids between the two organisms.

If we add to this factor that with the onset of pregnancy, a woman's body begins to produce less antibodies, it is easy to understand why even a safe bacterium can cause IUI.

Classification

Depending on the type of pathogenic microorganisms that triggered the infectious process, the following forms of intrauterine infections are distinguished:

1. Bacterial. Usually their development is provoked by listeria, tubercle bacillus, pale treponema (the causative agent of syphilis).
2. Fungal-parasitic infections are caused by candida, chlamydia, mycoplasma, toxoplasma and other members of the fungi family.
3. Viral processes are the result of infection with herpes, enteroviruses, rubella, hepatitis and other pathogens of this class.
4. Mixed forms are diagnosed in the predominant number of cases of IUI (approximately 50% of the total number of diseases).

This fact is explained by the fact that the organism of the future mother becomes susceptible not to a single strain of pathogens or a separate group, but to all pathogenic microorganisms. That is, the protective barrier of the expectant mother weakens and does notcan fully resist the attacks of infectious agents.

But at the same time, any woman suffers all kinds of infections throughout her life, after which strong immunity is formed. For this reason, in medical practice, most often there are cases when a group of 3-4 pathogens becomes the perpetrators of the invasion.

Main routes of fetal infection

Of course, any future mother is most concerned about the question of how the infection can get to a newly born living lump.

There are four ways pathogens can enter:

• the ascending path consists in the spread of infection through the genitals (chlamydia, enterococci);
• infectious pathogens from the fallopian tubes get to the fetus downstream if the woman had inflammation of the appendages;
• hematogenous, that is, through the blood, is considered the most common way of spreading infection (viruses, toxoplasma);
• intranatal transmission occurs when the fetus comes into contact with contaminated amniotic fluid or during childbirth.

Main markers of IUI during pregnancy

It is impossible to determine the type of pathogen that provoked the development of intrauterine infection by clinical signs alone. Therefore, in medical practice, laboratory tests are used for this purpose. Moreover, for accurate diagnosis, it is required to take tests several times.

You should know that inIn medicine, intrauterine infections are referred to as TORCH syndrome. This Latin abbreviation reflects all the most common infections.

T - toxoplasmosis

This is the most dangerous infection that can affect the fetus and leave such severe consequences as:

• Microcephaly.
• Spontaneous miscarriage.
• Delayed psychomotor development of the child.
• Loss of the organs of vision.

O - other infections

Including parovirus B19, which gives a high percentage of infant mortality (10 out of 100 cases). This group should include congenital chickenpox, hepatitis B, listeriosis, syphilis and other infections.

R - rubella

This is also one of the most insidious infections that leads to developmental anomalies and deformities of the fetus. The most dangerous period is up to 16 weeks of pregnancy. Of the undesirable consequences of this infection, it is worth noting:

• microcephaly;
• intrauterine fetal death;
• heart defects;
• congenital cataract;
• encephalitis;
• skin diseases.

C-cytomegaly

If this pathogen becomes the cause of IUI, the unborn baby may develop sensorineural hearing loss. The infection can lead to complete blindness of the child, affect the normal physical and mental development. Often this infection leads to the birth of a dead baby.

H - herpes simplex virus

Also leaves grave consequences. Easily penetrating the placental barrier, VG affects the fetal brain,which subsequently negatively affects the mental abilities of the child. In addition, a herpes infection causes a significant blow to the liver, hematopoietic system and other important organs. In severe cases, IUI caused by the herpes virus leads to stillbirth.

HIV

We cannot ignore the immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which carries a huge threat to the fetus developing in the womb. Thanks to the possibilities of modern medicine, today all expectant mothers are required to be examined for the presence of this dangerous infection. Therefore, doctors manage to identify it in a timely manner, which allows them to take all the necessary measures to prevent infection of the fetus.

It is also necessary to pay attention to such an important point: today, all parents planning to have offspring are recommended by doctors to pass a series of laboratory tests. This event helps to timely identify the presence of pathogens of dangerous diseases.

Danger of intrauterine infections

The main threat of this group of diseases is that invisible agents interfere with the development of the fetus, thereby causing great damage to the defenseless organism.

Of course, such an intervention does not go unnoticed, because babies are born weak, with low body weight and all kinds of malformations.

IUI is especially dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy, when all the organs and systems of the unborn child are laid down. If infection occurs during this period, the baby may be born withobvious defects. Very often in such cases, babies are born who are completely unsuitable for independent living.

Also, one of the most common complications of IUI is spontaneous miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy or premature birth at a later date. An intrauterine infection can occur in both acute and chronic forms.

For a future mother, IUI during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester are dangerous because they increase the likelihood of developing a septic process. For a baby, there are much more risks: first of all, these are various developmental anomalies, deformities, damage to the organs of hearing and vision, heart defects and other complications. Many of these consequences have already been discussed above.

Of course, the outcome of the infectious process and the prognosis for the future depend on a combination of the following factors:

• duration of disease;
• gestational age (pregnancy);
• types and number of strains;
• degree of persistence of maternal immunity.

If IUI can be identified at the initial stages and appropriate therapy can be done in a timely manner, then there are chances to save the life of the child and minimize the consequences of the pathology.

Causes of IUI

Science has not yet exactly established all the factors that provoke the development of intrauterine infections. But it is known for sure that they can contribute:

• pathology of the genitourinary sphere of a woman;
• depressed immunity, including HIV infection;
• respiratory diseases, especially in the firsttrimester of pregnancy;
• exacerbation of chronic pathologies;
• any surgical procedures at any stage of gestation.

It must be remembered that in any case, the infection of the fetus occurs only from the mother.

Risk groups

Asking about the risk of IUI during pregnancy, what it is and who is most susceptible, then, as a rule, patients are carriers of pathogenic agents:

• who have already had children with signs of IUI:
• having children attending institutions;
• employed in medical and educational fields;
• suffering from chronic inflammatory pathologies of any localization;
• women who have given birth to preterm babies.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that IUI is most common in women who are more at risk of contracting infections. The risk group for IUI during pregnancy (which is discussed above) should also include patients who often had abortions.

Clinical symptoms

The difficulty of diagnosing IUI is that the pathology mostly proceeds in a latent form. Often the disease is simply disguised as an elementary deterioration in the general condition, which is usually mistaken for the course of toxicosis. Therefore, doctors manage to identify the pathological process when it takes a generalized form.

Among the symptoms that should alert the expectant mother, the following clinical manifestations should be highlighted:

• increase in temperature background;
• inflammation of the lymph nodes;
• pain injoints;
• skin rash;
• conjunctivitis;
• various manifestations of the common cold (cough, runny nose).

If the listed symptoms persist for a long time, the woman should definitely tell the doctor about it.

Suspicion of fetal infection can be based on the following signs:

• slow growth and development;
• change in amniotic fluid volume;
• appearance of signs of hydrocephalus in the fetus;
• malformations of the placenta;
• polycystic;
• fetal size is smaller than the norm.

Ultrasound helps to identify the abnormalities listed here.

Diagnostic Methods

To accurately establish the signs of IUI during pregnancy, doctors use a whole range of measures. These include such mandatory procedures as:

• Taking swabs for culture from the vagina.
• Analysis for IUI during pregnancy (blood is checked for antibodies).
• Cardiotocography.
• If necessary, the physiological fluid of the pregnant woman is taken for analysis in order to do a DNA test.

It has already become clear what IUI is during pregnancy. On ultrasound, the signs of the disease, by the way, are also determined. In addition, the doctor carefully collects information about previous diseases, the presence of chronic processes in a woman. Subsequently, based on the results of all these types of examination, a diagnostic conclusion is made. In this case, the severity of the fetal lesion is necessarily assessed, the method of further treatment is determined.

After the birth of a baby, blood is immediately taken from the umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid is also examined. In special cases, newborns are taken for examination of the spinal secretion, urine and saliva. Such tests allow you to see a wider picture of the ongoing process.

Principles of treatment

If the diagnosis of IUI during pregnancy is confirmed, doctors develop an individual therapy program. Typically, these treatments include:

1. Using antibiotics to minimize damage to the fetus and prevent complications.
2. If a fungal infection is detected, then a course of treatment with penicillin drugs is carried out.
3. For viral infections, drugs such as Acyclovir are used.
4. Required to be included in the treatment of IUI during pregnancy general tonic, as well as immunomodulators. They will help restore the normal potential of the protective forces.
5. To eliminate negative symptoms, antipyretic and pain-relieving drugs are used in a dosage that is acceptable for the expectant mother.

Children born with signs of IUI are subject to long-term follow-up (up to 6 years).

Conclusion

Moms should know that such serious pathologies do not go unnoticed. Therefore, such babies need to be protected from colds, contact with infectious patients.

Any woman planning a pregnancy should strengthen her own immunity, and be sure to follow all preventive measures to prevent infectiousdiseases.