Your body, during pregnancy, is more sensitive to threats of infectious diseases. The immune response of the placenta affects its outcome. Because of this, you will not only undergo various hormonal, physical and emotional disturbances, but your body will be open to some of the most common prenatal infections – the Zika virus, vaginal yeast infection, bacterial and so on. Such infections may not positively affect your pregnancy or your unborn baby.
The maternal immune system must achieve a proper balance to continue the pregnancy healthily and keep the fetus safe, with certain precautions.
So in this Prenatal Infection Prevention Month, here are prenatal care tips to keep the pregnancy healthy and the unborn baby safe:
Be Healthy
You must wash your hands thoroughly, carefully and regularly with soap and running water after visiting the bathroom, after preparing and eating food, or after blowing your nose. You can also use alcohol-based hand sanitizer to keep your hands clean.
Cook the meat until well done
While cooking your favorite meat, the juices should be clear and there should be nothing pink in it. While you can cook chicken to 165°F (74°C), you can cook beef and pork to 145°F (63°C). You can’t even have processed meat as it may contain Listeria monocytogenes – the harmful bacteria.
Stay away from unpasteurized (raw) milk and dairy products
Unless milk and milk products, such as soft cheese (feta and brie) and yogurt, have pasteurized label on themavoid raw milk. Raw milk and dairy products contain harmful bacteria (Listeria). The presence of listeria can make the unborn baby sick or cause a miscarriage.
Avoid touching or changing dirty cat litter
If you have pets such as dogs or cats, try not to touch them during your pregnancy. That being said, if you do need to change the cat litter, remember to wear your gloves while you do it and wash your hands when you’re done. Cats play an essential role in the spread of toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis infection, during pregnancy, is passed to the developing baby inside your womb and can develop birth defects like blindness, eye disorder, mental disability and so on.
Keep rodent droppings and wild rodents away
You can get rid of pests with the help of professional pest control experts. However, if you have rodents such as guinea pigs or hamsters, make sure someone takes care of them. They carry a rodent-borne viral infection also known as lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). This infection is associated with mental retardation and physical disabilities in the baby, after their birth.
Get yourself tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
The experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests getting tested for STDs like HIV, HPV, Chlamydia, etc., early in your pregnancy, as contracting such infections can be harmful to your growing baby. Premature rupture of membranes, gestational bleeding, preterm labor and premature delivery are some of the risks associated with these prenatal infections. To prevent you from such risks, your doctor may tell you to undergo an emergency C-section. In addition, you may need to take medication in consultation with your doctor. Diagnosis and treatment at the right time can also save you from having low birth weight babies and other birth defects in babies.
Reduce your contact with saliva and urine from another child or young children in your home
If you have another child or small children in your home, you may come into close contact with them while sharing food or utensils. Saliva, as well as urine, has cytomegalovirus (CMV) in high amounts. If you catch this viral infection during your pregnancy, you can pass it on to your unborn child and if it becomes infected with long-term health problems after birth.
Ask about group B strep bacterial infection Your doctor
This is neither an STD nor does it cause any serious illness. 1 in 4 of you, during your pregnancy, may suffer from this infection, but you will hardly feel sick. The risk of GBS infection is highest at or before your 37th week of pregnancy. Found mainly in the rectum as well as the vagina, an easy and cheap swab test will confirm this disease. It means that, during childbirth, you can pass GBS to the baby. Newborns and infants may show signs of fever, breathing, feeding problems, irritability, etc. Pneumonia, meningitis or sepsis are also some serious conditions in babies suffering from group B strep bacterial infection.
Don’t go to places that have the Zika virus
The Zika virus occurs from mosquito bites or sexual contact (oral, anal, or vaginal sex) or a blood transfusion. Zika is serious during pregnancy. It can hinder the growth of the baby inside you. The baby that grows inside can suffer from microcephaly (a birth defect where the baby’s head and brain are smaller than babies of the same age and sex) and neural tube defects after birth. In addition, if you plan to travel during pregnancy, consult your doctor beforehand. The doctor will tell you not to travel to places that are prone to Zika. But if you are, carry a mosquito net and repellant wherever you go.
You can check yourself for prenatal infection long before you get pregnant
Since prenatal infection is stressful, you can take care while planning to conceive. Here’s how to stay safe from prenatal infections before planning pregnancy:
- Go for safe sex by learning about your potential partner’s sexual history.
- Try not to ignore the signs of pain and itching in your private parts before you get pregnant.
- Get vaccinated. Getting informed about vaccines is really important even before you get pregnant. It can help protect both mother and child from serious preventable diseases. Rubella, for example, can be particularly dangerous if contracted during pregnancy, as it can lead to miscarriage or severe birth defects. Consider following up with your healthcare professional.
- It is essential to stay away from people who may have infections such as chicken pox or rubella during pregnancy if you have not had the vaccine before. These infections can be harmful to both the mother and the unborn baby and can lead to serious complications.
Feeling a little scared? Good! No need to worry at all! Follow these tips, consult your doctor before and during pregnancy, prepare food safely and take medication. Take care of yourself.
Have a good pregnancy!
