Lyme disease

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in Europe. Although transmission to the child is very rare, it is in principle possible. It is therefore important to remove the tick as soon as possible.

You can remove the tick yourself with suitable tongs from the pharmacy or consult a doctor who will remove the tick professionally. This is the most important measure to prevent an infection and damage to the child by Lyme disease. If there are already signs of Lyme disease transmission, in the form of a red skin change around the injection site (erythema migrans), the doctor will start an immediate antibiotic therapy.

This should not be considered as prophylaxis but as a therapy against the infection. The ring-shaped reddening of the skin occurs at the earliest seven days after the puncture. A slight redness directly after the tick bite is not yet a sign of Lyme disease.

During pregnancy, the antibiotic amoxicillin is recommended for therapy. Furthermore a therapy with Cefuroxime or Penicillin can be carried out. In case of an infection with borreliosis in early pregnancy, a differentiated ultrasound examination is carried out in addition to the antibiotic therapy in order to detect malformations in the child.

In addition, umbilical cord blood should be drawn after birth for further examinations. If abnormalities are found in the newborn, an examination of the placenta is still recommended. If there is any uncertainty, further blood tests can be performed on the child in the 6th-7th month of life. If no antibodies against the borreliosis pathogen are found, transmission during pregnancy is excluded. All in all, a transmission to the newborn and a damage caused by Lyme disease is very rare and unlikely if the expectant mother is treated quickly.

TBE

TBE is an inflammation of the meninges and brain tissue caused by viruses transmitted by ticks. In Germany, there is an increased risk of TBE transmission only in certain regions – especially in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.There is a protective vaccination for TBE, which should be carried out if you live in areas with a high risk of transmission. Pregnant women may also be vaccinated if they live in a high-risk area.

During pregnancy, the risk of infection with TBE is generally considered to be low. In addition, the disease progresses asymptomatically in 90% of infected persons. TBE is usually not transmitted to the unborn child.

Unfortunately, if the pregnant woman should develop a symptomatic disease, there is no curative therapy. The course of the disease, which usually heals by itself, must be awaited. Only the use of antipyretic drugs and painkillers is possible.