Viruses
Although a vaccination eliminates the risk of infection, unfortunately not all women take advantage of it. If the mother is infected up to the 12th week of pregnancy (early pregnancy), the embryo suffers from the so-called Gregg syndrome: heart defects, deafness and a cataract (clouding of the lens) occur. After this, complications affecting the nervous system are to be expected in the child.
A vaccination is no longer possible during pregnancy. If there is no vaccination protection and the pregnant woman comes into contact with an infected person, so-called post-exposure prophylaxis is still possible up to 8 days after this contact, which usually prevents infection. After the 8th day, this prophylaxis can at least postpone the time when the child becomes infected.
Affected are pregnant women who have had a chickenpox infection for the first time during pregnancy. If the infection occurs in the first 6 months of pregnancy, the so-called fetal chickenpox syndrome can rarely occur: Malformations of the arms, legs and brain, skin symptoms and a low birth weight occur. If the infection occurs later, the fruit is sufficiently protected by maternal antibodies and remains healthy.
If, however, infection occurs less than 5 days before birth, the newborn child also gets chickenpox. One third of these affected newborns die. In the case of shingles, the all-clear is given, as there is no danger to the unborn child.
The therapy is carried out by administering antibodies within 4 days at the latest to ward off the outbreak of the disease. However, if the pregnant woman is about to give birth, it is also worthwhile administering it later. The newborn baby receives the same medication, even if symptoms do not appear in the mother until after the birth.
This common infection is only dangerous for the unborn child if it is first contracted during pregnancy.If the infection takes place in the first 3 months, malformations of the child are to be expected. If the child is infected during birth, this results in organ enlargement of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly), a drop in the platelet count (thrombocytopenia), skin bleeding (petechiae), as well as physical and mental disability and hearing damage. Therapy or prevention of transmission of the infection to the unborn child is not possible.
Risk groups such as medical staff or social workers are at risk. A hepatitis B infection (S. Hepatitis B) is transmitted to the child during pregnancy or only during birth. From the 32nd week of pregnancy onwards, the mother is routinely examined for an infection.
Symptoms are usually not visible in the child, as the disease is mostly chronic and then develops into cirrhosis of the liver in one third of cases. If the test was positive in the mother, the child is actively and passively vaccinated after birth and an outbreak of the disease is usually prevented. An HIV-infected pregnant woman transmits the virus to her child in a quarter of the cases.
If drug treatment is administered during pregnancy and a caesarean section is performed, only about 1% of the children will be infected! If the child is infected, the suppression of the immune system can lead to death in the first year of life. However, the course can also be milder and the symptoms only increase slowly.
The pregnant woman gets such a toxoplasmosis infection by eating raw meat as well as contact with cat excrement. The symptoms are quite unremarkable: swelling of the lymph nodes, fever and general fatigue occur. Again, only an initial infection during pregnancy is dangerous.
The child is infected 50% in the womb, but the symptoms are usually only seen after birth. These include hydrocephalus, calcification of the brain, inflammation of the eye, jaundice and physical and mental disabilities. In severe cases and in the first third of the pregnancy, the child can also die in the womb or be born too early. If the mother receives timely medical treatment before the 20th week of pregnancy, the course of the disease can be alleviated.
