Diseases to Be Concerned About During Pregnancy
Have you ever wondered why doctors stress the importance of finding a good obstetrician? Some diseases are particularly dangerous during pregnancy. It is convenient to take them into account, both to prevent them and to treat them and, thus, avoid their negative effects.
List of diseases to be concerned about
Rubella
Toxemia (also known as pre-eclampsia)
Urinary infections
Arterial hypertension
Toxoplasmosis
Chickenpox
Streptococcus group B
Gestational diabetes
Cholestasis
Incompetent cervix
Sexually transmitted diseases
This brief article will explain the above diseases and outline why OBGYN services should be considered.
Rubella
Rubella is a very contagious disease that manifests itself, with fever, cough, conjunctivitis, headache, inflammation and a rash that begins on the face and extends downward. Usually, there are no risks or complications in the general population, but if a woman who does not have antibodies (since she is not vaccinated or did not have the disease) gets rubella in the first trimester of pregnancy, it can severely affect the baby. Most women currently have antibodies against rubella, either because they have had it, or because they have received the corresponding vaccine.
At the first visit, the obstetrician checks the patient’s immunity to this disease through a blood test. In the case of not being immune, it is important to avoid contact with people who have rubella and to vaccinate the other children with whom they come in contact with. In case of contracting the disease, a treatment with immunoglobulins can be carried out to reduce the risks in the baby.
After delivery, the woman should be vaccinated for future pregnancies. Women who have been vaccinated should not get pregnant until 3 months after the vaccine is given. Your local OBGYN office can provide more details on this.
Toxemia or pre-eclampsia
Preeclampsia, or toxemia, is a serious condition with an ill-defined cause that occurs after week 20 and is characterized by maternal hypertension, which is accompanied by alterations in renal function, edema and the appearance of proteins in the urine. It is more frequent at the extremes of reproductive life, that is, under 20 and beyond 35 years of age. It also occurs with greater incidence in obese women, although this is not an indispensable condition.
The symptoms of this disease are swelling of the feet, hands and face, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, sudden weight gain and high blood pressure. It is usually detected in prenatal check-ups, so it is very important not to skip them. Contact a local Jacksonville OBGYN for more details.
