Chapter 4 - Infectious diseases in pregnancy Flashcards
Describe Rubella-associated congenital defects
The virus disrupts mitosis, retarding cellular division and causing vascular
damage.
Severity decreasing with advancing gestation
- Sensorineural deafness.
- Cardiac abnormalities including VSD and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
- Eye lesions (congenital cataracts, microphthalmia, and glaucoma).
- Microcephaly and mental retardation.
**rarely causes defects after 16weeks
Late-developing sequelae include:
• Diabetes.
• Thyroid disorders.
• Progressive panencephalitis.
When can pregnant women have the MMR
It is a live attenuated vaccine so contraindicated in pregnancy + avoid pregnancy 12weeks after vaccination
A pregnant woman has been exposed to rubella, what should you advise?
- Need to check vaccine records for confirmation of vaccination or previous antibody confirmation
- If not, test for IgM + IgG
- If IgG found reassure + tell to return if rash appears
- If IgM or neither detected further testing will be needed
Which sign is pathonomonic for measles?
Koplick spots in the mouth
Other signs = 4 Cs
Cough, coryza, conjunctivitis + Koplik spots
Maternal complication of measles
- pneumonia
- acute encephalitis
- corneal ulcers
Fetal complication of measles
- Death + prematurity
- no congenital damage
- Neonatal subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
Therefore, administer human normal immunoglobulin
(HNIG) immediately after birth or exposure is recommended for
neonates born to mothers in whom the rash appears 6 days before to
6 days after birth.
Mx of a pregnant woman exposed to measles
- Confirm vaccination
- Send IgG + IgM
- If IgG not detected give HNIG
Fetal risks of parvovirus
• The virus causes suppression of erythropoiesis sometimes with
thrombocytopenia and direct cardiac toxicity, eventually resulting in cardiac failure and hydrops fetalis.
• There are no congenital defects associated with parvovirus infection.
Mx
- fetal middle cerebral artery monitoring for anaemia +/- In utero transfusion
**10% of fetuses infected at <20wks gestation die.
Symptoms of CMV
- Fever
- Malaise
- Lymphadenopathy, mononucleosis
CMV-associated congenital defects
• IUGR. • Microcephaly. • Hepatosplenamegaly and thrombocytopenia. • Jaundice. • Chorioretinitis. • Later-developing sequelae include: - psychomotor retardation in 10% <6yrs old - sensorineural hearing loss.
**Although most normal at birth if symptomatic outcome is very bad
Causes of non-vesicular rashes in pregnancy
- Streptococcal infection.
- Meningococcal infection.
- Enteroviruses.
- CMV.
- Epstein–Barr virus (EBV).
- Syphilis.
- Rubella.
- Measles.
- Parvovirus B19.
When are people with VZV infectious?
Infectious from 2 days before rash until all vesicles are crusted.
Mx of a woman exposed to VZV
1) Send VZV IgG
2) If no IgG, give VZIG
Maternal risks of VZV
- Varicella pneumonia.
- Hepatitis.
- Encephalitis.
Fetal risks of VZV
If <20wks there is a 2% risk of fetal varicella syndrome with congenital defects including:
• Skin scarring.
• Limb hypoplasia.
• Eye lesions (congenital cataracts, microphthalmia, chorioretinitis).
• Neurological abnormalities (mental retardation, microcephaly, cortical
atrophy, and dysfunction of bladder and bowel sphincters).
Neonatal risks:
- Neonatal varicella if mothers contracted it in the
last 4wks of pregnancy.
- Severe infection can be fatal & most likely to occur if the rash appears 5 days before delivery or 2 days after. **These babies should all receive VZIG as soon as possible.
Mx of VZV
Aciclovir reduces the duration of sx if given within 24hrs of the rash appearing
Maternal risks of HSV
Primary infection: • Meningitis. • Sacral radiculopathy—causing urinary retention and constipation. • Transverse myelitis. • Disseminated infection.
Fetal risks of HSV
Primary infection may lead to miscarriage or preterm labour, but no related congenital defects
Neonatal risks of HSV
Usually only if primary infection but transmission rate is 50%
Neonatal herpes appears during the first 2wks of life.
• 25% limited to eyes and mouth only.
• 75% widely disseminated, of which:
• 70% will die
• m any of the survivors will have long-term problems including
mental retardation.
Mx of HSV
Aciclovir may decrease severity and duration of the primary attack if given
within 5 days of onset of symptoms.
If labour is within 6wks of primary infection then delivery by CS is recommended provided the membranes have not been ruptured for >4h. With active vesicles from a recurrent
attack, the risk of surgery must be carefully weighed against the very small
risk of neonatal infection.
Dx of maternal malaria
- blood films.
- Rapid detection tests may miss low parasitaemia.
- 3 –ve malaria smears 12–24h apart rules out malaria.
Fetal risks of malaria
- Miscarriage or preterm delivery.
- Stillbirth.
- Congenital malaria.
- Low birth weight (s to prematurity or IUGR).
Mx of women with malaria
- Inpatient
- Quinine and clindamycin for falciparum malaria (IV artesunate for severe).
• Antipyretics.
• Screen for anaemia and treat appropriately.
• Uncomplicated malaria is not a reason for induction of labour.
**Report to HPA
Safest malaria prophylaxis
Proguanil and chloroquine are probably the safest drugs for malarial prophylaxis in pregnancy.
Cause + symptoms of toxoplasmosis
Cat faeces + eating undercooked meat
–> fever or lymphadenopathy but 80% asymptomatic
Severe complication of fetal toxoplasmosis
Cerebral ventriculomegaly but most are unaffected
Severe complication of maternal toxoplasmosis
immunocompromised individuals are at risk of chorioretinitis and encephalitis.