Prognosis
The prognosis of the effect of rubella in pregnancy on the unborn child depends on the time of infection and the week of pregnancy. If the mother is infected in the first trimester of pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage during this period is about 2%. In the second trimester of pregnancy 10% of babies develop Hydrops fetalis, which causes water retention in the child’s cavities. In the third trimester of pregnancy the risk of complications due to infection with the virus is very low.
What symptoms can I recognize that I have rubella as a pregnant woman?
In children, typical disease courses of rubella are often found, but in adults and especially pregnant women the symptoms can vary. Characteristic in children are the red cheeks, the skin rash, which spreads garland-like over trunk and extremities. However, this rash is often absent in adults.
In most cases, the symptoms are fatigue, increased temperatures, joint pain and swelling. Other unspecific symptoms such as headaches or swollen lymph nodes may also appear. If the fatigue is combined with paleness and shortness of breath, this can be a sign of anemia.
This can be confirmed by a blood test with examination of hemoglobin and red blood cells. Since the symptoms can vary greatly in their overall severity, laboratory tests must be carried out to ensure that appropriate control measures are taken in the event of infection. If a person has previously had negative test results for antibodies against the rubella virus in the blood and shows positive antibody tests at a later examination, the technical term for this is “seroconversion” – the reversal of the antibody state in the blood serum. The final proof of the diagnosis is either the antibody test in the blood of the pregnant woman or child or the determination of the viral load in the blood, bone marrow or amniotic fluid.
Other topics that might also interest you:
- Ring rubella
- Ringel rubella in adults
- Ringed rubella skin rash
- You can recognize rubella by these symptoms
- Infections during pregnancy
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