Risk
Many pregnant women fear infections during pregnancy very much. Some infections, such as syphilis or rubella, can be very dangerous for the child and lead to malformations. These damages cannot be repaired after the birth.
Of course, one would like to prevent this as much as possible through preventive examinations and therapies. Fortunately, scarlet fever does not cause malformations in the child and does not directly endanger the pregnancy. Nevertheless, pregnant women should of course take care to avoid people with symptoms.
Contact with small children can also increase the risk of the pregnant woman contracting the typical childhood disease scarlet fever. Community facilities such as schools, kindergartens, public offices and the like should therefore be avoided by pregnant women. The risk of infection is particularly high in such facilities.
The greatest danger for pregnant women and their unborn children is the secondary disease of scarlet fever. These occur weeks after the infection and can affect the kidneys and heart, among other things. This can disrupt the care of the child, which can result in growth disturbances and other complications. Such secondary diseases, however, hardly ever occur at all thanks to the good medical care and therapeutic options available in industrialized nations such as Germany.
Duration
The duration of scarlet fever may vary from patient to patient. On average, it takes about one week for the fever to subside. After about 3 to 4 days the rash begins to fade.
However, characteristic scaling of the skin, especially on the face, groin, trunk and armpits, may still occur 14 days after the disease. When treated with penicillin, the symptoms of scarlet fade after 2 to 3 days. The risk of infection also decreases 24 hours after the start of antibiotic therapy. On average, the disease lasts about 1 to 2 weeks.
Employment ban
Scarlet fever is generally not a major risk for pregnant women. Nevertheless, pregnant women, especially those working in community facilities with children, are temporarily banned from employment if scarlet fever is present in the workplace. Since there is no sure immunity against scarlet fever even if the infection has occurred, the pregnant woman is not allowed to work even in this case.
The employment ban is valid until 3 days after the last case of illness in the institution. If there is any uncertainty or disagreement with the employer, it is possible to obtain a ban on employment by means of a medical certificate. However, this is usually not necessary.
During the period of the temporary ban on employment, the employer must continue to pay the pregnant woman her wages. In certain cases, however, he can claim these payments from the health insurance company. Pregnant teachers are subject to a temporary ban on employment in the school where they work in the event of a scarlet fever.
It is not necessary to provide proof of lack of immunity by means of a medical certificate, since even if a scarlet fever infection has occurred, 100% immunity cannot exist. For the period of the temporary employment ban, the work has to continue to pay wages to the pregnant woman. The same regulations apply to pregnant educators as to pregnant teachers.
In case of scarlet fever in the institution where the pregnant woman works, a temporary ban on employment applies until 3 days after the last case of illness. Work will be resumed on the 4th day.
