|
Conditions and Illnesses which could affect your unborn baby Your health is vital to the well being of your unborn baby.
Therefore it is wise that one be aware of the illnesses which can
affect your baby, should you become ill during the nine months.
Asthma:
Most asthma sufferers sail through their pregnancies without any
added risks or problems. However, there are the few whose asthma
attacks become more severe during pregnancy. This condition should
always be mentioned as early as possible in your antenatal visits,
so that a safe, yet effective medication can be prescribed. Many
women have found added relief through increasing their fluid intake
- this shouldn't be too much of an extra hassle, as we are all
supposed to increase our intake of fluids during pregnancy.
Diarrhoea:
Diarrhoea during pregnancy usually raises concern, especially when
you are still suffering after a period of 24 hours, or it keeps
returning at regular intervals. In this case it is suggested that
you contact your healthcare provider, who can prescribe the correct
medication for someone in your condition - Never take medication for
diarrhoea without having discussed it with your doctor first!
Of particular concern in this case, is the risk of dehydration.
Increase your fluid intake over this period: water, fruit juices,
broth and other clear liquids are best (prune juice and apple juice
have laxative qualities, so try an avoid these), milk and milk
products should also be avoided as these often worsen the problem.
Solid foods, not only seem unappealing at this stage, they also tend
to make the problem worse - stick to a bland, nutritious, liquid
diet for a few days, or just until you feel better.
Group-B Streptococcus Infection (GBS)
This illness does not affect the fetus whilst still in the womb,
instead it is passed on during birth - often resulting in
detrimental damages. Pneumonia, lung damage, meningitis and cerebral
palsy are just a few of the life-threatening conditions that the
baby is exposed to at the time of birth.
Being present in the urinary, reproductive organs,or mouth, GBS is
easily transmitted through sexual contact - a silent condition,
often producing no symptoms.
Hepatitis
One of the most serious infections that can occur during pregnancy,
is that of hepatitis - a viral infection (or inflammation) of the
liver. Hepatitis is transmitted through sexual contact or by
infected blood through the use or sharing of contaminated hypodermic
syringes and needles. Most patients experience flu-like symptoms,
accompanied by nausea, pain in the area of the liver and loss of
appetite. The person's urine may be darker in colour, and her skin
and the membranes lining the body cavities become yellow or
jaundiced. Transmission to the baby, is usually during birth or
through breastfeeding.
During your antenatal visits you will probably be tested for
hepatitis antibodies - if you test positive whilst pregnant, the
baby may be required to receive immune globulin following the birth.
This vaccination is somewhat different from the hepatitis vaccine,
which is given as a preventative measure against the disease.
See Richard's Recommendation
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a disorder that is transmitted to humans via
infected ticks. It is a disease appearing in stages: Initially there
may only be a skin lesion at the site of the bite, followed by a
bout of flu-like symptoms. A couple of weeks later the patient will
show signs of neurological problems and the possible onset of
arthritis. During pregnancy, this disease will cross the placenta,
presenting a host of complications: early/pre-term labour, unusual
skin rash in the newborn, or even death in-utero. Fortunately
though, most of the medications used to treat lyme disease can be
used safely during pregnancy.
Prevention is really better than cure in this case, so try and
remain away from long grass, and keep your pets tick and flea-free.
Rubella (German Measles)
Rubella is a fairly common childhood complaint, an infection causing
few problems in the non-pregnant person. During pregnancy though,
one has to be very careful (especially in the first trimester) when
the risk of miscarriage is high. It can have disastrous effects on
the development of the baby's vital organs - malformations are
common, particularly heart defects. Fortunately many women are
immune to the disease, whether through having suffered with it in
the past, or by having received the vaccine - beware though, neither
is a guaranteed protection for life!
Sickle-cell Anaemia:
Sickle-cell anaemia occurs when a persons' red blood cells become
deformed into irregular pointed-like shapes. These deformed cells do
not easily travel through veins and arteries, resulting in impaired
circulation and abrupt pain in the joints and abdomen of the
pregnant woman. Being more common in people of African and
Mediterranean descent, sickle-cell anaemia poses a potential danger
to the unborn baby - miscarriage and stillbirth is common.
 |
|
Red blood cells from
a person suffering with sickle cell anaemia. |
Toxoplasmosis:
A disease caused by toxoplasma gondii, toxoplasmosis often goes
unnoticed in a healthy adult, who may only experience mild flu-like
symptoms. In the pregnant mother though, this disease can cross the
placenta, placing the unborn baby at great risk of mental
retardation, hearing loss and the possibility of experiencing
learning disabilities.
Toxoplasmosis is most commonly contracted through cat faeces,
however it is just as easily spread through the eating of under
cooked meat, infected eggs, infected goats milk and even through the
day-to-day petting of your beloved cat. To prevent this awful
contamination, it is vital that we follow a few simple guidelines:
- Request that another family member take on the role of emptying the
cat litter tray - or if you have no choice, make sure you wear
gloves throughout the entire procedure, and wash your hands
thoroughly afterwards.
- Wash all vegetables thoroughly, especially if they are home grown -
a neatly dug vegetable patch is the ideal spot for "kitty" to
perform ablutions.
- Avoid eating undercooked or raw meat.
- Keep cats off counters, tables and other areas where contamination
is a possibility.
- Stroking your pet is fine, as long as you wash your hands
afterwards.
|
