Other Treatments for Infection in Pregnancy

June 10, 2008 - 7:30am

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Other Treatments for Infection in Pregnancy

Depending on the infection you have, the following may be used to help treat the infection and prevent it from being passed onto your newborn.

Monitoring

For some infections, especially viral infections like ]]>CMV]]> and ]]>parvovirus B19 (fifth disease)]]> , there is no medication that treats the infection. In these cases, your doctor may want to see you more often to monitor you and your developing baby. If your developing baby appears to be ill, there are special diagnostic and treatment options available. Your healthcare provider will discuss these options with you and their potential benefits and risks.

Cesarean Section

Some infections, like ]]>herpes]]> and ]]>HIV]]> , can spread to your baby during a vaginal delivery. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a ]]>cesarean section]]> instead of a vaginal delivery to reduce the chances of transmitting the infection to your newborn.

References:

Amoxicillin. Medline Plus website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a685001.html . Accessed September 5, 2005.

Bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy. American Pregnancy Association website. Available at: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/bacterialvaginoses.htm . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Cephalosporins (systemic). Medline Plus website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202119.html . Accessed September 5, 2005.

Chickenpox (varicella). March of Dimes website. Available at: http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_675.asp . Accessed September 2, 2005.

Chorioamnionitis. Cleveland Clinic Foundation website. Available at: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3800/3857.asp?index=12309 . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Clindamycin. Medline Plus website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202145.html . Accessed September 5, 2005.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cmv.htm . Accessed September 10, 2005.

Cytomegalovirus Infection in Pregnancy. March of Dimes website. Available at: http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1195.asp . Accessed September 5, 2005.

Erythromycin. Medline Plus website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682381.html . Accessed September 5, 2005

Group B strep: How to protect your baby. MayoClinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=PR00079 . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Group B streptococcal disease (GBS). National Center for Infectious Diseases website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/groupbstrep_g.htm . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Herpes during pregnancy: What you should know. American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/760.xml . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Listeria and pregnancy. American Pregnancy Association website. Available at: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/listeria.html . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Nielsen GL, Sorensen HT, Larsen H, Pedersen L. Risk of adverse birth outcome and miscarriage in pregnant users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: population based observation study and case-control study. BMJ. 2001;322:266-270.

Parvovirus B19 infection and pregnancy. National Center for Infectious Diseases website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/B19&preg.htm . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Pregnancy. Hepatitis B Foundation website. Available at: http://www.hepb.org/patients/pregnant_women.htm . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Rubella. March of Dimes website. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_673.asp . Accessed September 2, 2005.

Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines 2002. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/1-2002TG.htm#SpecialPopulations . Accessed September 5, 2005.

STDs and pregnancy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/std/STDFact-STDs&Pregnancy.htm#test . Accessed September 5, 2005.

Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy. American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/180.xml . Accessed September 13, 2005.

Urinary tract infection during pregnancy. American Pregnancy Association website. Available at: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/utiduringpreg.html . Accessed September 2, 2005.

Last reviewed June 2007 by ]]>Ganson Purcell Jr., MD, FACOG, FACPE]]>

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.