Scarlet fever during pregnancy: causes, symptoms, complications, treatment and prevention

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

Scarlet fever during pregnancy is a rather dangerous disease. Pathology is treated with antibiotics, which is very undesirable when carrying a child. The article will discuss the causes of scarlet fever, its symptoms and treatment.

How the disease is transmitted

Scarlet fever has been found to occur in areas with a temperate or cold climate. It's pretty easy to get sick.

Infection is transmitted by airborne droplets and through household items (linen, dishes, toys). Infection can also occur through food, i.e., through the alimentary route.

Currently, there are almost no methods that can prevent infection. The first days of illness are especially dangerous, when a person easily infects the people around him. After 21 days, he is unable to infect anyone.

Is scarlet fever dangerous during pregnancy? The difficulty of diagnosing it is due to the fact that its symptoms are similar to those of a sore throat. If a woman does not see a doctor in a timely manner, complications may occur.

Causes of pathology

Infection with scarlet fever can cause streptococcus. Pathology has an infectious nature. She has a high degree of contagiousness and scarlet fever is almost always acute. Any woman can get sick with it during the period of bearing a child. This is due to the huge susceptibility of the human body to the pathogen.

Scarlet fever during pregnancy may occur due to the fact that a woman's physiological resistance decreases physiologically. During the period of bearing a child, all the forces of the body are aimed at preserving the fetus. And scarlet fever can affect people with an immunodeficiency, which in this situation is considered pregnancy.

Infection occurs in the following cases:

• contact with a carrier of the disease (hugs, kisses, etc.);
• sharing things with an infected person;
• non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene (washing hands, food);
• presence of wounds and burns on the skin.

Scarlet fever is a seasonal disease. It is most common during cold weather. Outbreaks of scarlet fever may be recorded in individual groups.

The first few days of illness in an infected person are considered the most dangerous period for others. Due to increased susceptibility to infectious agents, the patient must be isolated until day 21. After 3 weeks, it becomes harmless to other people.

Signs of scarlet fever

Basically, the disease in pregnant women is quite mild. However, an infectious pathology is known that has an averageor severe course.

There are two varieties of scarlet fever:

1. Typical form of the disease. Has a lot of clear signs of infection.
2. Atypical form. Has a fuzzy clinical picture.

Scarlet fever during pregnancy is characterized by headache, weakness and fatigue. The disease begins acutely. The following signs of pathology appear first:

• Increased body temperature.
• Feeling of general weakness.
• Muscle pain and chills.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Abdominal pain.
• High heart rate.

Depending on the state of immunity, a woman's skin changes in the first 3 days:

1. Originally face and torso.
2. Then the disease manifests itself in the legs.
3. Within 3 days, the entire skin is completely covered with rashes.
4. The rash begins to fade and disappears completely by the end of the third week.

Change in the skin is a characteristic sign of the disease. Rashes are not observed in the region of the nasolabial triangle. Skin changes appear as small dots.

If the causative agent of scarlet fever enters the body of a woman through the oral cavity, it causes irritation of the mucous membrane.

In this situation, acute tonsillitis develops, which is accompanied by:

• swelling of the tonsils;
• red eyes;
• reddened tonsils;
• shaded gray;
• an increase in lymph nodes in the neck andjaw.

Gradually rashes and symptoms in the throat area disappear. Later, the skin begins to peel off, so that it completely disappears from the feet and palms.

Danger of disease for pregnant women

Scarlet fever is an infectious pathology, so it is dangerous for the occurrence of complications if it passes during the period of bearing a child. There are some peculiarities here.

Scarlet fever during pregnancy in the 1st trimester can cause:

1. Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage).
2. Fetal malformations.

Scarlet fever during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester may contribute to:

• Development of preterm birth.
• Oxygen starvation of the fetus.
• Inflammatory diseases of organs (glomerulonephritis, synovitis, otitis media and others).
• Inflammation of lung tissue in an unborn child.

With a mild course of the disease, no complications are observed during pregnancy, however, women need to seek treatment in time and follow all doctor's prescriptions. Then the negative impact of pathology can be avoided.

What are the consequences and dangers of scarlet fever during pregnancy?

If the treatment of scarlet fever during pregnancy was started in a timely manner, then complications practically do not develop. Otherwise, a pregnant woman may experience:

• myocarditis;
• synovitis;
• jade.

In addition, pathology very rarely occurs during pregnancy, because by the age of 20 a womanstrong immunity to infection is formed.

Diagnostic Methods

The difficulty of diagnosing scarlet fever is due to its similarity with tonsillitis. Initially, the doctor examines the patient and prescribes the necessary tests (blood, urine and throat swab).

During the examination, a woman should consult with her obstetrician-gynecologist. In parallel with the condition of the mother, the he alth of the fetus is also monitored. Together with the infectious disease doctor, the patient is prescribed gentle treatment, taking into account the duration of pregnancy, the complexity of the course of the disease and the possible threat to the unborn child.

Features of therapy

The whole problem in prescribing the right treatment is that it is harmful for pregnant women to take antibiotics, especially in the early stages.

Self-medication for women with scarlet fever is not recommended. This will allow her to avoid many complications and pathologies in the unborn baby.

In case of scarlet fever and early pregnancy, a woman is prescribed immunostimulating and restorative treatment, because antibiotic therapy is not recommended.

Additionally, in case of pathology of a pregnant woman, it is necessary:

• use baby Panadol or Paracetamol to lower fever;
• stay in bed and diet for a week;
• gargle with antiseptic;
• carry out wet cleaning indoors using productsdisinfection;
• observe the rules of personal hygiene;
• eat only warm food;
• use individual dishes, linens and clothes;
• drink more fluids.

For scarlet fever during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester, as well as the third, antibiotic treatment can be used. To remove toxins from the body, women are advised to drink a lot and gargle with herbal decoctions.

After recovery, the pregnant woman is sent for an ultrasound scan to verify the he alth of the fetus and prescribe the necessary tests.

Permitted drugs

Scarlet fever during pregnancy is treated only by a certain group of drugs. Of the antibiotics, the following are allowed for use:

• "Flemoxin Solutab".
• "Amoxiclav".
• "Augmentin".
• "Sumamed".

The dosage of the drug for each woman is selected individually. It is prohibited to break it. Accurate intake and compliance with the recommended dosages of the drug will avoid a negative impact on the he alth of the expectant mother and child.

Gargle with scarlet fever is allowed "Miramistin" and "Chlorhexidine".

In addition to medicines, traditional medicine is used. This should only be done after consulting a doctor.

Folk methods

Self-medication during the period of illness is not recommended for women. Only after the permission of the attendingdoctor, you can use herbal infusions or teas to drink. From medicinal plants, the use of chamomile, sage or calendula is allowed.

There are several recipes that can be used by pregnant women:

1. Valerian infusion. 1 st. pour a spoonful of grass roots with 200 ml of boiling water and leave for 12 hours. Take the infusion three times a day for a tablespoon.
2. Decoction of parsley. Pour 1 teaspoon of the root of the plant with a glass of boiling water and consume three times a day.

A mixture of lemon juice, lingonberries and cranberries is of particular benefit to the body of a pregnant woman during this period. A glass of warm drink is recommended per day.

For gargling, you can use 1 tbsp. a spoonful of sage, chamomile and calendula. Pour a mixture of herbs with a glass of boiling water and insist. Carry out the rinsing procedure 2-3 times a day.

Prevention

Vaccination in case of illness is not carried out, therefore, women in the period of preparation for pregnancy must be tested and exclude the possibility of the presence of pathogenic streptococcus in the body. When visiting a clinic, it is best for a woman to use a gauze bandage. Contact with sick people should be avoided whenever possible.

When visiting crowded places, pregnant women also need to take special precautions. To strengthen the immune system, you need to include fresh vegetables and fruits in the menu, eat right and balanced.

You need to follow the rules of personal hygiene, ventilate the room and regularlycarry out wet cleaning.

If an infection has occurred, then the woman needs to see a doctor and follow all his recommendations.

Forecast

When scarlet fever is treated properly during pregnancy, the prognosis is usually good. The main danger is only the early terms of bearing a child. With strict adherence to the recommendations of a specialist and taking the prescribed drugs, you can completely avoid the complications of scarlet fever and the unpleasant consequences of the infection. Usually, the disease does not harm the fetus.