Dangerous diseases during pregnancy: symptoms, causes, treatment

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

Pregnancy does not make a woman immune to common diseases, so she can get sick if she is not careful about her he alth. However, ailments in an "interesting position" can cause great harm to the fetus. In our article, we will talk about what diseases during pregnancy are considered the most dangerous for the baby and mom, what is the cause of their occurrence, how to deal with them, and so on. Such information will be useful for absolutely any woman who wants to have children.

Rubella

Rubella is one of the most dangerous diseases during pregnancy, which has a viral origin. Quite often, this disease is confused with measles, but these two ailments are caused by completely different viruses. In addition, rubella can be a real rarity in certain regions of the country. For example, in the United States every childvaccinated against it in childhood, so outbreaks of the disease are extremely rare. Therefore, if you do not have good immunity and you have not been vaccinated against a viral disease, then you can quite get sick with it when in contact with a sick patient.

Rubella itself will not cause much harm to the human body, but a weakly protected fetus can suffer greatly from it. The infection can cause any birth defects in the baby or even premature birth. The baby is most likely to get infected from mommy if she gets sick in the first trimester. Therefore, many doctors in this case recommend having an abortion so as not to endanger their lives and the life of the child. Although in the second trimester, extreme caution should be exercised and not contact with people who have been struck by the rubella virus.

At the beginning of pregnancy, a woman must be checked for immunity to this disease. If it was possible to identify the disease during pregnancy in the early stages, then you should immediately get rid of the fetus, since the probability of its defeat will be extremely high. Even if mommy manages to give birth to a baby, he will most likely have some kind of birth defects. Therefore, if you decide to become pregnant, be sure to get vaccinated against rubella. After vaccination, you cannot become pregnant for six months, since the remnants of the virus can still remain in the mother's body.

Urinary tract infections

Thought about what kidney diseases during pregnancy are the most dangerous? It is worth sounding the alarm only inif the organs were infected through the urinary canal. Since it is rather short in a woman, microbes can enter the bladder and even the kidneys without much difficulty. Therefore, you should monitor intimate hygiene, as well as drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day, since lack of moisture can also contribute to the development of infectious diseases in the body.

It is worth noting that during pregnancy the risk of urinary tract infections is very high. This is mostly due to an increase in progesterone levels, which prevents the normal flow of urine from the bladder. That is, part of the liquid remains inside all the time, which can provoke the development of various infections. Therefore, a woman should immediately contact her doctor when the first symptoms appear:

• frequent urge to urinate, especially at night;
• burning sensation when emptying the bladder;
• constant pain in the lower abdomen.

To detect a urinary infection or kidney disease during pregnancy, you will have to pass a urine test, since it is in it that bacteria that cause illness, such as E. coli, can be found. Treatment consists of various antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. Such actions prevent pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidneys), which is often accompanied by back pain and high body temperature.

Cytomegalovirus

What other fetal diseases during pregnancy are the mostdangerous? Of course, those that are caused by viral infections. One of the most dangerous diseases for mom and her baby is cytomegalovirus. In most adults, this infection goes unnoticed. According to statistics, almost 80% of the world's inhabitants have contracted a similar disease by the age of 40. If a woman becomes infected with it during childbirth, then this can greatly affect the he alth of the unborn baby.

To protect yourself from this nasty virus, you need to know exactly how it is transmitted. The risk of infection can be reduced several times over by following simple hygiene measures such as hand washing. The danger of this type of disease lies in the fact that it practically does not manifest itself in an adult organism. Most often, cytomegalovirus can be diagnosed using amniocentesis. After that, the doctor will definitely prescribe an ultrasound scan to the patient to determine if the virus is affecting the development of the child. To prevent and treat the disease, the mother will most likely be prescribed antibodies.

In some children, cytomegalovirus can only be diagnosed at birth. If treatment is not started on time, serious liver problems can begin, deafness and blindness will gradually develop. Some children may even die from this virus, but most survivors have serious neurological changes that affect normal life to one degree or another. If you want to avoid this for your child, then be sure to go throughprophylactic course.

Ulcerative colitis

What about pregnancy with Crohn's disease (ulcerative colitis)? The likelihood of complications depends on the activity of the inflammatory process inside the body. In the initial stages of the disease, pregnancy can proceed quite normally, but the higher the degree of activity of the inflammatory process, the greater the likelihood of premature birth. In any case, consultation with a specialist in this regard should resolve all problems. Even if you have ulcerative colitis in the initial stages of formation in your body, then you should not despair. With adequate treatment, the disease will not affect the development of the fetus.

As for natural childbirth, they are contraindicated for women with Crohn's disease. For patients who suffer from ulcerative calitis, medicine provides a standard course of therapy, which includes taking mild, moderate, or strong drugs. However, for pregnant women, the course of treatment should be adjusted by a gynecologist, and at different stages of pregnancy it will differ. Some drugs can adversely affect the he alth of the fetus in the early stages of development, so in most cases, doctors prescribe 5-ASA group drugs to sick mothers.

Flu

Thought about what throat diseases during pregnancy can be the most dangerous for the fetus? As a rule, the list of such diseases is extremely small, but do not forget that a sore throat or reddening of the tonsils can be a symptom of more serious ailments, such as the flu. If a woman has not been vaccinated against this disease for several years, then the likelihood of getting sick during pregnancy remains extremely high. Also, do not forget that even with the vaccination done, you can easily become infected with the type of flu for which the vaccine was not made. If you feel flu symptoms (headache, weakness, fever, sore throat), you should immediately seek help from a specialist, because an undiagnosed disease in time can adversely affect the he alth of the unborn baby.

Most doctors recommend treating the virus with special antiviral drugs, but for a pregnant woman, drugs should be prescribed by an experienced specialist. Antiviral therapy will show the maximum effect in the initial stages of the development of the disease, so there is no need to delay a visit to the clinic. It is best to consult a doctor after the first symptoms: discomfort in the nose and throat, increased sweating, loss of energy, and so on.

As for the causes of influenza, for the most part they are related to the fact that the patient was in contact with a sick patient. The virus can be easily transmitted by airborne droplets, so sometimes just talking to the patient is enough. To prevent infection, it is strongly recommended to avoid contact with carriers of the virus, and also use a gauze bandage when going to the clinic (especially during an epidemic).

If a woman is still sick with the flu, then you should taketo take your medical history - during pregnancy this can be extremely important. Even the smallest detail that the doctor overlooks due to lack of information can adversely affect the he alth of not only the mother, but also her child. Unfortunately, medicine knows many examples when, during the flu, a mother lost her baby or died with him. Therefore, once again, we strongly recommend that you seek medical help immediately.

Chronic diseases

Women should pay special attention to their chronic diseases during pregnancy, because at this time they can cause serious complications. As a rule, such diseases do not affect the he alth of the fetus, but can be inherited. Therefore, asthmatics, allergy sufferers and heart patients should be especially vigilant. Although genetic engineering has not yet learned how to block the transmission of chronic diseases from mother to child, however, every woman should be especially responsible for her he alth, especially if she is in an "interesting position".

How to determine that your disease is at a chronic stage and it is extremely difficult to cure it? As a rule, only an experienced specialist can answer this question, for example, a pulmonologist (for asthma), an allergist (for allergies), a cardiologist (for diseases of the cardiovascular system). You should also understand that if you have been haunted by the same symptoms for several years (shortness of breath, heart pain, tearing), then your disease is most likely already onchronic stage. Therefore, before thinking about pregnancy, you must first try to cure it so that the disease does not pass to your baby by inheritance.

A young mother should understand that during pregnancy, symptoms can increase greatly. For example, asthmatics develop shortness of breath even after slight physical exertion, and due to changes in the hormonal background, allergy symptoms begin to appear not only in summer, but also in winter. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly take the medicines that the doctor prescribed for you in order to at least deal with unpleasant symptoms. However, in no case should you self-medicate, since an incorrectly selected medication can adversely affect the he alth of the fetus.

HIV and AIDS

Any blood diseases during pregnancy are very dangerous, and the human immune deficiency virus is even more so. It is worth noting that HIV may not appear for years, so paying attention only to the symptoms would be extremely reckless. Any woman who decides to become pregnant should first of all donate blood from a vein for analysis in order to be sure that her child is not in danger. Otherwise, she risks infecting her baby in the womb, in the early stages of pregnancy.

As for protection against the virus, every schoolchild knows about it. First of all, you should take care of a quality method of contraception, since HIV in most cases is transmitted sexually.way. Also, do not have sex with unfamiliar men, as this increases the risk of the disease. The virus can also be transmitted through the blood, so even a child knows that it is strictly forbidden to use one syringe. Well, as a preventive measure, it is recommended to donate blood for analysis every six months in order to prevent the development of the disease in time, since the virus may not make itself felt until the very last moment.

As for pregnancy for patients, it is highly undesirable, but there is a chance that timely treatment in a baby can prevent the development of a virus in a child's body. Taking special medicines significantly prolongs the life of the infected person and alleviates unpleasant symptoms, so that he can enjoy joyful moments with his loved ones. However, this is only possible with proper treatment. Isn't it better not to get sick at all, because the prevention of this disease is not difficult?

Hypertension

Hypertension during pregnancy is a pretty terrible enemy for mom and her baby, but with the right methods of treatment and prevention, you can give birth to a he althy baby. Of course, the risk that the disease will be inherited by the child remains quite high, but if the mother takes the medication prescribed by her doctor, the risk is significantly reduced. It is also very important to seek help in time, because an undiagnosed heart disease in time can make itself felt too late. If youconstantly worried about headaches or pain in the heart, then you need to undergo a medical examination, as well as take preventive measures (sports, he althy eating, and so on).

As for the symptoms of the disease, they can be very different:

• redness of the skin in the face;
• puffiness of the face and eyelids in the morning;
• poor performance;
• palpitations;
• frequent headaches;
• memory deterioration;
• chilly, etc.

Varicose veins during pregnancy can also indicate poor heart function, but for a more detailed analysis, you need to see a doctor. Remember that symptoms may not appear all at once, but gradually. For example, at first there may be headache attacks, after which swelling of the face and malaise in the region of the heart will appear. Hypertension during pregnancy can play a cruel joke on a mother and her baby, so it is important to start treating this ailment in time.

As for the causes of the disease and prevention, they are inextricably linked. As a rule, heart problems arise due to a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, bad habits, and so on. That is why mommy should completely stop drinking alcohol and smoking, start moving more, and also eat right, especially if there is a hereditary predisposition to hypertension.

Listeriosis

What diseases during pregnancy areone of the most dangerous for the baby? Listeriosis is an infectious disease that is caused by bacteria entering the body through eating food of dubious quality - hot dogs, shawarma, soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk, and so on. For he althy people, such an infection will be relatively harmless, but the fetus can be seriously affected by the infection. Therefore, a woman should eat only he althy food prepared in compliance with all sanitary standards. Otherwise, the next station shawarma may well lead to the imminent death of the child after childbirth or even miscarriage. Here are some symptoms of illness during pregnancy that you should pay special attention to:

• nausea and vomiting;
• weakness;
• diarrhea;
• heat.

As you can see, the symptoms are very similar to ordinary food poisoning, but listeriosis is much more dangerous than the fact of poisoning. If these bacteria have entered your body, you should begin immediate medical treatment under the guidance of an experienced doctor. Moreover, you need to start doing this as early as possible, until the bacteria have multiplied to a large number.

As for the prevention of the disease, it is very clear. It is necessary to eat only he althy food prepared at home. Also, you should not drink unpasteurized milk (relevant for villagers) or eat meat dishes that have not undergone heat treatment. You should strongly refrain from meat with blood, as well as quick snacks with shawarma, hot dogs and barbecue,because the meat in these products is of dubious quality. If you watch what you eat, then the chance of getting an infection will be minimized.

Allergy

What fetal diseases during pregnancy can be especially dangerous for a newborn baby? Of course, the allergy, which he inherited from his mother. The symptoms of such a disease are known to many people: watery eyes, sneezing, redness on various parts of the body, itching, bronchospasm, and so on. Moreover, the reaction to allergens will be strictly individual in each case. In some patients, pollen causes reddening of the skin, while in others it causes an asthma attack that only an inhaler can deal with.

For a fetus in the womb, allergies are practically harmless, because it is protected by the placenta - a dense shell that protects the child from various dangers of the outside world. However, even a newborn baby may experience various allergy symptoms, which should never be ignored. Therefore, if you notice redness on the cheeks or shortness of breath in a child, you should immediately contact an allergist so that he can conduct a series of tests and prescribe the appropriate treatment for the disease.

Many pregnant women in various thematic forums ask questions: "What diseases from cats during pregnancy can be transmitted to the child?". Of course, for many people, such words will seem like real paranoia, but there is some truth in them. For example, a small child may become infectedallergic to pet hair, and mommy will think that it’s not hereditary predisposition that is to blame, but four-legged pets. In this case, you should not immediately get rid of the cat or dog. It is enough to consult with a specialist who will prescribe special drugs for your child that block unpleasant symptoms. Fortunately, modern pharmacists have developed them for every taste and budget, and admission is allowed even for the smallest patients.