1: Infections in pregnant women

Med J Aust. 2002 Mar 4;176(5):229-36. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2002.tb04381.x.

Abstract

Some infections are more serious in pregnant than non-pregnant women because of the potential for vertical transmission to the fetus or infant (eg, varicella, rubella, cytomegalovirus infection, toxoplasmosis and listeriosis). Pre-pregnancy or routine antenatal screening for presence of, or susceptibility to, some of these infections and appropriate management can prevent adverse fetal or perinatal outcomes; screening should include rubella IgG, hepatitis B surface antigen, serological tests for syphilis and HIV antibody. If certain other vertically transmissible infections are suspected because of a positive antenatal test result, confirmatory tests for maternal and, if indicated, fetal infection are essential before intervention is considered (eg, cytomegalovirus infection). For some vertically transmissible infections that are not readily preventable, appropriate management of maternal infection can reduce fetal damage (eg, toxoplasmosis).

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chickenpox / diagnosis
  • Chickenpox / drug therapy
  • Chickenpox / prevention & control
  • Chickenpox / transmission
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / therapy
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / transmission
  • Enterovirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Enterovirus Infections / drug therapy
  • Enterovirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Enterovirus Infections / transmission
  • Erythema Infectiosum / diagnosis
  • Erythema Infectiosum / drug therapy
  • Erythema Infectiosum / prevention & control
  • Erythema Infectiosum / transmission
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / prevention & control
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / prevention & control
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / therapy
  • Prenatal Care / methods*
  • Toxoplasmosis / diagnosis
  • Toxoplasmosis / drug therapy
  • Toxoplasmosis / prevention & control
  • Toxoplasmosis / transmission