Infections in Pregnancy

Infections in Pregnancy :

• Most common - CMV

• Most teratogenic - Rubella

• M/C Time for rubella transmission to fetus - 1st trimester
(maxmimum - 1to 4 weeks),
absent transmission - beyond
20 weeks.

• In Rubella - M/C single defect which occurs is – Sensorineural hearing loss

• Heart defects seen in Rubella - PDA and Pulmonary artery stenosis

• After rubella vaccine, pregnancy is contraindicated for 1 month.

• CMV Transmission can occur in any trimester.

• Most severe infection of CMV occurs if transmission occurs in 2nd trimester.

• CMV transmission can occur during vaginal delivery and breastfeeding also.

• Primary infection – leads to 40% transmission
• Recurrent infection – leads to 0.2%-2% transmission.

• CMV never Leads to Heart Defects in Fetus

• M/C time for toxoplasma infection - 3rd trimester

• Maxmimum/most severely fetus is affected if fetal infection occurs in 1st trimester

• Triad of toxoplasma - intracerebral calcification, chorioretinitis andhydrocephalus

• Treatment of Toxoplasma - Spiramycin (prevents fetal transmission but it cannot treat fetal infection if it is present.)

• Spiramycin + pyrimethamine and sufonamide combination is given to treat fetal infection and prevent further transmission.