If you are pregnant, an infection can be more than just a problem for you. Some infections can be dangerous to your baby. You can help yourself avoid infections:
- Don't eat raw or undercooked meat
- Don't share food or drinks with other people
- Wash your hands frequently
- Don't empty cat litter. Cats can transmit toxoplasmosis.
You may need to take medicines or get a vaccine to prevent an infection in your baby. For example, you may need to take antibiotics if you develop an infection with streptococcus, or take medicines if you have genital herpes. Only some medicines and vaccines are safe during pregnancy. Ask your health care provider about how best to protect you and your baby.
- Avoiding Infections in Pregnancy(UpToDate) - http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=pregnan/2251
- Trial Vaccine May Protect Against Serious Viral Infection(03/18/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81857.html
- Protect Your Unborn Baby or Newborn from Infections(02/23/2009, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PrenatalInfections/
- Rise in Strep Infection Seen in Black Newborns(02/17/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_80546.html
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Are You Pregnant? Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep!(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - Links to PDF - http://www.cdc.gov/groupbstrep/docs/gbs_brochure2005-eng.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/groupbstrep/docs/gbs_brochure2005-sp.pdf
- Flu Shot in Pregnancy: Is It Safe?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/influenza/AN00651/METHOD=print
- Immunization Issues: Vaccines for Pregnant Women(National Network for Immunization Information) - http://www.immunizationinfo.org/immunization_issues_detail.cfv?id=90
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Preventing Infections during Pregnancy(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/pregnancy/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/especialesCDC/embarazo_infecciones/
- Preventing Malaria in the Pregnant Woman(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travel/drugs_pregnant_public.htm
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Bacterial Vaginosis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/std/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/std/Spanish/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis-s.htm
- Bird Flu and Pregnancy(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_17998.asp
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Chickenpox (Varicella)(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_675.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9254_9653.asp
- Chorioamnionitis(Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) - http://www.chop.edu/consumer/your_child/condition_section_index.jsp?id=-8966
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Pregnancy(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/cmv/pregnancy.htm
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Hepatitis B Virus in Pregnancy(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp093.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/sp093.cfm
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) and Pregnancy: Facts and Prevention(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/bd/lcmv.htm
- Parvovirus B19 Infection (Fifth Disease) and Pregnancy(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/B19&preg.htm
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Rubella(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_673.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9254_9658.asp
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Salmonellosis(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_688.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9254_9659.asp
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STDs and Pregnancy(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/std/STDFact-STDs&Pregnancy.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/std/Spanish/STDFact-STDs&Pregnancy-s.htm
- Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy and Traveling While Pregnant(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh9-PregnancyTraveling.aspx
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Infections and Pregnancy
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=infections+%5BALL-FIELDS%5D+AND+pregnancy+%5BCONDITION%5D
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Perinatal transmission of hepatitis C virus infection. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19319981&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Emerging concepts in antibiotic prophylaxis for cesarean delivery: a systematic... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19300334&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: SOGC clinical practice guidelines: Guidelines for the management of herpes... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19241496&tool=MedlinePlus
- Infections and Pregnancy -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=pregnancy+complications,infectious[majr]+NOT+(hiv+infections[mh]+OR+toxoplasmosis[mh])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(guideline[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/member-lookup/disclaimer.cfm
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March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation - http://www.marchofdimes.com/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- Other In Utero TORCH Infections(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site474/mainpageS474P0.html
- AIDS and Pregnancy - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aidsandpregnancy.html
- Pregnancy - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pregnancy.html
- Prenatal Care - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prenatalcare.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Pregnancy and Reproduction - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pregnancyandreproduction.html
Infections and Pregnancy - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/infectionsandpregnancy.html