Hand-mouth-foot disease during pregnancy
Normally, an infection with enteroviruses and a hand-mouth-foot disease developing from it is harmless for the pregnant woman, as it usually has a mild course or is completely without symptoms. Since enteroviruses are very widespread in the environment, women are often confronted with them during pregnancy. Especially during the summer months and the following autumn months the risk of infection is highest.
Unfortunately, there is little information available on whether an infection with enteroviruses during pregnancy leads to diseases or developmental disorders of the fetus or possibly even to a miscarriage. However, it has been proven that an infection of a pregnant woman with enterovirus around the time of delivery can lead to the pathogens being transmitted to the newborn baby. In most cases, this also results in a rather mild course.
In some cases, however, other organs such as the heart or liver may be infected, with potentially fatal consequences. In the first two weeks of the newborn baby’s life, the risk of a severe and complicated course of the disease is highest in an infection with the enterovirus.
