Location:
Call: 040 4488 5333
[email protected]

17 May, 2020

5 Infections that can cause pregnancy problems

Expectant mothers do everything in their capacity to prevent themselves, and their fetus from catching infections. Vaccinations, proper hygiene while cooking and avoiding outside food are some simple ways to prevent catching these infections. Sometimes, despite take all the possible precautions and steps, certain infections that can cause pregnancy problems.

Here are 5 common infections that can cause pregnancy problems when left untreated:

  1. Chicken Pox

Although chicken pox is not dangerous by itself, it can be harmful for a pregnant woman. If the mother has never been exposed to it and has never been vaccinated, chicken pox can possibly affect the fetus. This itchy and contagious disease can put the baby at risk, if it occurs during the first or second trimester and if the mother herself is not immune to it. It may cause Congenital Varicella Syndrome in the baby and lead to birth defects such as skin scarring, malformed limbs, microcephaly and other neurological problems.

  1. Mosquito-borne Infection

Dengue, malaria, chikungunya and other mosquito-borne infections have symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, nausea and joint pain. In rare cases, these infections can cause miscarriage. Babies can catch these infections if the mother has fever or any other symptoms up to four days before delivery, or one day afterwards. Babies exposed to infections can suffer from fever, difficulty in feeding, skin problems, and seizures. In such cases, the baby should be monitored by doctors for about a week.

  1. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) such as chlamydia are often easily treated with a round of antibiotics. Many pregnant women feel ashamed going to a doctor for a suspected STI, but it is important to get help during pregnancy. Any STI could adversely impact the baby during pregnancy or even during birth. There is an increased risk of premature birth, underweight baby, or even a miscarriage. Therefore, every pregnant woman should get herself checked out if she suspects an STI.

  1. Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial Vaginosis is caused due to an imbalance in normal bacteria levels in a woman’s genital area. About 10-30% of all women will experience this during pregnancy. Although not particularly risky, there is some evidence to indicate that bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy can increase the risk of premature birth or having an underweight baby. It may also lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. It is important for pregnant women to get themselves treated immediately in order to avoid any possible complications.

  1. Food Borne Illnesses

Since pregnant woman have a compromised immune system, they are more susceptible to food borne illnesses such as listeriosis. This can lead to blood infection, meningitis, and other potentially life-threatening illnesses. Although rare, most of the detected cases are among pregnant women. Listeria can infect the placenta, amniotic fluid, baby, or all three, and lead to stillbirth or miscarriage. In such a case, baby is more likely to be born prematurely.

There are many other infections that can cause problems during pregnancy. Apart from the above, pregnant women should be watchful against infections such as herpes, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, Group B strep, HIV, and toxoplasmosis etc. Taking small steps such as getting recommended prenatal tests, washing hands or practicing safe sex can help prevent infections.

If you need to know more about infections, our doctors at KIMS Cuddles are always there to answer your queries.

 

**Information shared here is for general purpose. Please take doctors’ advice before taking any decision.

SIMILAR ARTICLES

blog featured image

29 July, 2026

Irregular Periods: When to Investigate

Period irregularity is something many women experience at some point, and most learn to live with it, at least for a while. A late period during a stressful month, a lighter cycle after illness, a missed period after a long flight. These variations are common and usually self-correcting. The problem is that irregular periods are also how the body signals conditions that genuinely need attention, and because the irregularity can feel familiar, it is easy to keep waiting for things to normalise when they never will without proper evaluation.Knowing where the line sits between normal variation and something worth investigating is genuinely useful.What counts as irregularA normal menstrual cycle runs anywhere from 24 to 38 days, measured from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. Variation of up to eight days between the shortest and longest cycle is considered normal. Lengths ranging between 8 and 20 days of variation are considered moderately irregular, and variation of 21 days or more is considered very irregular.Changes outside the cycle length are also irregular. Periods that are either much heavier or lighter than normal, periods that are much longer or shorter than normal, periods between periods, and periods that are absent altogether, in a woman not pregnant, breastfeeding, or in menopause,
Read More
blog featured image

29 July, 2026

Fertility Decline: What Women Should Know

Conversations about fertility tend to happen too late. Women often begin thinking seriously about their reproductive timeline only when they are ready to conceive. At this point, some of the most important biological facts have already been playing out for years without their awareness. The decline in female fertility with age is one of the most consistently misunderstood aspects of reproductive health, and the gap between what women know and what the biology actually shows is significant.This is not about creating anxiety. It is about giving women accurate information early enough to make genuinely informed decisions.The Fundamental BiologyA woman is born with all the eggs she is going to have in her lifetime. Her eggs age with her, decreasing in quality and quantity. Age is the single most important factor affecting a woman's fertility.Females are born with a finite number of oocytes. The number of oocytes peaks in the womb at around 20 weeks of gestation and subsequently declines steadily until approximately age 32, after which the number decreases at a greater rate until age 37, beyond which oocyte numbers drop even more rapidly.This is not something that can be slowed by fitness, diet, or general good health. Even though women today are healthier and taking better care of themselves than ever before, improved
Read More
blog featured image

29 July, 2026

PMOS: Causes Beyond Hormones

Most patients understand Polycystic Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, or PMOS, as a hormonal condition. Irregular periods, elevated androgens, and ovarian cysts on an ultrasound. The hormonal picture is real, but it is only part of the story. Decades of research have made it increasingly clear that PMOS is far more complex than a hormonal imbalance in isolation. It involves the metabolic system, the immune system, the gut, and genetics, all interacting in ways that produce a condition that looks different in every woman who has it.Understanding the fuller picture of what causes PMOS matters because it changes how the condition is managed and why lifestyle interventions work as well as they do.What PMOS Actually InvolvesPolycystic Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder, typically characterised by hirsutism, hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, menstrual disorders, and infertility. The name itself reflects what the condition truly is. The metabolic component is not secondary to the ovarian and hormonal picture. It is central to it. Treating the hormonal symptoms without addressing the underlying metabolic drivers is one reason PMOS management often produces only partial results.Insulin Resistance Sits at the CentrePMOS insulin resistance, where cells throughout the body fail to respond normally to insulin, is considered the primary pathological basis for the reproductive dysfunction seen in PMOS.
Read More
Loading booking..