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How to kill infection in newborns. Intrauterine infection in a newborn - what is it? Causes of intrauterine infection during pregnancy

Intrauterine infections are those that infect the fetus itself before birth. According to general data, about ten percent of newborns are born with congenital infections. And now this is a very pressing problem in pediatric practice, because such infections lead to the death of babies.

This kind of infection mainly affects the fetus in the prenatal period or during the birth itself. In most cases, the infection is transmitted to the child from the mother herself. This can occur through amniotic fluid or by contact.

In more rare cases, the infection can reach the fetus during any diagnostic methods. For example, with amniocentesis, chorionic villus biopsy, etc. Or when the fetus needs to administer blood products through the umbilical vessels, which include plasma, red blood cells, etc.

In the intranatal period, infection largely depends on the state of the mother's birth canal. More often these are various types of bacterial infections, which usually include group B streptococci, gonococci, enterobacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc. Thus, infection of the fetus in the womb occurs in several ways:

transplacental, which includes viruses of different types. More often, the fetus is affected in the first trimester and the pathogen reaches it through the placenta, causing irreversible changes, malformations and deformities. If infection by the virus occurs in the third trimester, the newborn may show signs of acute infection;
ascending, which includes chlamydia, herpes, in which the infection passes from the genital tract of the mother to the baby. More often this happens during childbirth when the membranes rupture;
descending, in which the infection reaches the fetus through the fallopian tubes. This happens with oophoritis or adnexitis.

The predominance of pathogens in the female body that tend to provoke inflammatory processes in the genital organs and other systems is called intrauterine infection (IUI). The most negative of the disease is the possibility of infecting the unborn fetus in the female body. The factor that infects the fetus is the blood that circulates throughout the body of the woman and the conceived child.

This is the most basic route of infection, but the possibility of infection entering the body of a conceived child through the birth canal cannot be ruled out. The disease is predominantly detected in women who lead an unhygienic lifestyle, but not in all cases. So, let's look at what types of infections there are and how they enter the fetus's body?

Intrauterine infectious diseases in newborns occur as a result of infection of the fetus with a pathogen during pregnancy or during childbirth. Most often, a child becomes infected with an infection from the mother. Cases of infection are much less likely to occur with specific types of diagnostics of the mother (invasive prenatal diagnosis), administration of various blood products through the umbilical cord to the child, and other routes.

During the period of intrauterine development of a child, infectious agents most often arise from various viruses (rubella, HIV, herpes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cytomegaly) and intracellular microorganisms (mycoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis).

During the birth period, the degree of infection directly depends on the condition of the mother's birth canal. Provided the integrity and healthy functionality of the placenta, the child is inaccessible to the simplest viruses and most harmful bacteria. However, with fetoplacental insufficiency or various injuries, there is a high probability of infection of the child.

Infection with the pathogen in the first fourteen weeks leads to stillbirth and the occurrence of severe malformations and disorders in the development of the child. The disease in the second and third trimesters causes damage to individual organs or extensive infection.

It is possible that the clinical manifestation of the infection in the mother may not coincide with the symptoms or severity of the infection in the child. Low intensity of symptoms or an asymptomatic course of the disease in a pregnant woman often causes severe consequences reflected in the fetus - from pathologies to death.

Infection of infants with intestinal infections occurs predominantly through the oral-fecal route, when bacterial pathogens from feces fall onto hands and various household items. Considering that children try to put everything in their hands into their mouths, the penetration of bacteria or viruses is not such a rare occurrence.

Typically, the reason for the penetration of pathogenic microflora into the child’s body is the parents’ banal neglect of the rules of personal hygiene when caring for the baby. For example, the cause of infection may be a bottle that has not been washed properly, or hands that have not been washed after going outside, etc.

Infection also occurs through the mother’s body if she is a carrier or becomes infected with intestinal infections while carrying a child.

The very fact of infection can occur in the mother’s womb, when the fetus swallows amniotic fluid or through the common circulatory system between mother and baby, or the baby becomes infected when it passes through the birth canal.

It is possible to detect intrauterine infection during childbirth. Signs of infection may include:

unpleasant odor and turbidity of amniotic fluid;
unsatisfactory condition of the placenta;
asphyxia in a newborn.

In the future, other manifestations of the disease can be diagnosed:

enlargement of some internal organs (liver);
microcephaly;
jaundice;
sudden febrile syndrome;
pyoderma;
different pigmentation on the skin;
convulsions.

Manifestations of intrauterine infection may include grayish skin color of the newborn, depression of the central nervous system and excessive regurgitation. In the future, during a protracted period of development, infections can cause the occurrence of osteomyelitis, various types of encephalitis and meningitis.

Acute manifestations begin in the first days of life after birth and are characterized by the occurrence of inflammation in organs, nephritis, various manifestations of diarrhea, jaundice, and fever. Convulsions and edema syndrome are possible.

The chronic form leads to strabismus, microcephaly, optic nerve atrophy and iridocyclitis. Cases of monosymptomatic and latent forms of the disease occur much less frequently. Late complications entail blindness, epilepsy, mental retardation.

Congenital rubella

The disease of rubella in a pregnant woman at different periods of pregnancy with varying degrees guarantees the possibility of infection of the child. When infected during the first eight weeks, the disease in the fetus is 80% and the consequences have a high degree of risk - up to spontaneous miscarriage. The disease in the second trimester will reduce the risk to 20%, and in the third – to 8%.

A baby with rubella is often born low birth weight or premature. The typical clinical picture includes congenital heart disease, damage to the auditory nerve and eyes. Deafness may develop.

Atypical manifestations and consequences may develop:

hepatitis
hydrocephalus;
microcephaly;
cleft palate;
skeletal abnormalities;
defects of various systems;
mental or physical developmental delay.

Cytomegaly

Infection with pathogens of cytomegalovirus infection often leads to damage and abnormalities in the development of various internal organs, disruption of the functioning of the immune system, and various complications.

Most often, congenital pathologies are present, which manifest themselves:

cataracts;
retinopathy;
microphthalmia;
microgyria;
microcephaly and other serious diseases.

In the future, liver cirrhosis, blindness, pneumosclerosis, encephalopathy, and deafness may develop.

This disease occurs in three forms - broad, mucocutaneous and neurological. The broad form of the disease is characterized by toxicosis, jaundice, hepatomegaly, pneumonia, and distress syndrome. Other forms occur with rashes and encephalitis. Sepsis may develop.

Hepatitis can cause defects of varying severity - dwarfism, retinopathy, microcephaly. Later complications include developmental delay, blindness, and deafness.

It represents difficulty breathing and varying degrees of impaired blood circulation in the child, and manifests itself immediately after birth, leading to oxygen deficiency.

Asphyxia is distinguished between congenital and acquired.

Congenital occurs due to impaired placental circulation, gestosis, entwining the fetus with the umbilical cord. A child is born with a slow heartbeat, weak muscle tone, and bluish skin color.
Acquired asphyxia is the result of difficult childbirth, entanglement in the umbilical cord, and spasm of the muscles of the birth canal of the woman in labor.

Almost every fifth baby is born with this diagnosis and most of them cope with this problem themselves. There are times when resuscitation procedures cannot be avoided. In any case, the maternity hospital doctors do everything possible for the child so that he does not have neurological problems in the future.

It is anemia, in which the red blood cells in the newborn's body are destroyed.

This is a serious disease caused by incompatibility between the blood of the fetus and mother. If the mother’s Rh factor is negative, and the unborn child’s is positive, then there is a possibility of Rh conflict, since the mother’s body can form antibodies that can destroy red blood cells in the fetal blood.

hereditary factor;
difficult pregnancy;
birth injuries;
Rh conflict between mother and unborn child;
toxicoses and gestosis during pregnancy;
lack of vitamins and minerals during pregnancy, incorrect nutrition of the expectant mother;
failure to comply with the rules of personal hygiene and baby hygiene;
infection with staphylococcal and streptococcal infections in the maternity ward.

Frequent causative agents of intrauterine transplacental infection

In children, most often intestinal infections are bacterial or viral in nature.

The most common such infections are rotavirus, better known among the population as intestinal flu, shigellosis or dysentery. Salmonella, Escherichia, Yersinia, staphylococcus, etc. can also be causative agents of pathology.

Often, in infants, the causative agents of acute intestinal infections are opportunistic microorganisms that belong to the normal flora, but under some circumstances provoke infectious lesions.

Such circumstances include immaturity of the immune defense, taking antibacterial drugs, etc.

Most viruses and bacteria known to man can penetrate the fetus and cause various damage. But some of them are particularly contagious or pose an increased danger to the child. Some viruses (almost all that cause ARVI) are not transmitted to the baby, but are dangerous only when the pregnant woman’s temperature rises greatly.

Diagnostics

A method often used is to identify specialized markers using widely used ultrasound. This method allows you to determine low and polyhydramnios, turbidity of amniotic fluid, developmental disorders and damage to the placenta, various pathologies of the fetus and disorders in the development of various organ systems of the child.

During the postpartum period, a complex of various laboratory tests is carried out to confirm or refute the presence of intrauterine infections. Tests for microorganisms, viruses and bacteria are widespread. Molecular biological research methods based on DNA, serological and histological analyzes are used.

In the first days of life, if an infection is suspected, the child should be examined by specialists in various fields - cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology and other areas. It is recommended to carry out various studies on the reactions of the child’s body.

For modern medicine, one of the most pressing tasks is diagnosing intrauterine infections in the initial stages. To do this, a wide range of different tests are carried out to identify pathologies - smears and cultures of flora from the pregnant woman’s vagina, PCR diagnostics, specialized laboratory tests for a complex of intrauterine diseases in newborns.

Treatment of intrauterine infections is a complex of multidirectional therapies that together help cope with the disease. The main types of treatment are aimed at ridding the body of pathogens, restoring the full range of functioning of the immune system, and restoring the body after an illness.

To strengthen the immune system, immunomodulators and immunoglobulins are prescribed. Most antibiotics intended for newborns and pregnant women help fight viruses and bacteria. Restoring the body consists of getting rid of residual symptoms of intrauterine infections.

Symptoms of intrauterine infection in a newborn and during pregnancy

In a pregnant state, it is not so easy to detect infection of the fetus, so doctors do everything possible to do this. It’s not for nothing that a pregnant woman has to undergo so many different tests several times a month.

The presence of intrauterine infection can be determined by tests. Even a smear taken in the chair can show some picture of the presence of infections, however, they do not always lead to intrauterine infection of the fetus.

When an intrauterine infection affects a child shortly before birth, it can manifest itself in diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, enterocolitis or another disease.

The signs described above may not appear immediately after birth, but only on the third day after birth, and only if the infection strikes the child while moving through the birth canal, doctors can notice its manifestation almost immediately.

Mommy should sound the alarm at the very first signs of infection of the baby. These include:

A sharp hyperthermic reaction. In infants, it is almost impossible to miss this moment, because as a result of the rise in temperature, their face turns red, and their eyes begin to sparkle feverishly.
Another characteristic manifestation of intestinal infection in infants is the occurrence of repeated vomiting. The baby may completely refuse to eat, spit out and bite the breast, be capricious, because everything he eats immediately ends up outside.
Intestinal activity is disrupted, which is accompanied by severe painful sensations that force the baby to cry, twist his legs and press his knees to his tummy.
Feces change too. If normally it is yellow and mushy, then with intestinal infections it becomes liquid and green interspersed with mucus or blood, pus, etc.

If these symptoms appear, you must immediately consult a doctor before the disease becomes more complicated and spreads throughout the body.

With intrauterine penetration of infectious agents, miscarriages, miscarriages, antenatal fetal death and stillbirths quite often occur. Surviving fetuses may exhibit the following symptoms:

Intrauterine growth restriction
Micro- and hydrocephalus
Chorioretinitis, cataracts (eye damage)
Myocarditis
Pneumonia
Jaundice and enlarged liver
Anemia
Hydrops fetalis (edema)
Skin rash
Fever

Prevention

First of all, preventive examination of partners at the stage of pregnancy planning will help to avoid the occurrence of intrauterine infections. Vaccination is often used to prevent the occurrence of herpes viruses.

An important element of prevention is complete and unconditional adherence to the rules of personal and general hygiene, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and regular examinations for various infectious diseases.

In general, pathology with timely diagnosis and treatment has quite favorable prognostic data, especially when pathology is detected in its early stages.

The symptomatic picture of intestinal infections only worsens with further development, so it is necessary to immediately take preventive measures, which include breastfeeding the baby and strengthening his immunity, and high-quality heat treatment of foods.

Prevention of intestinal infections requires parents to maintain strict control over the water consumed by the child and thoroughly rinse fruits and vegetables.

Acute intestinal inflammation in children is widespread, because the immune defense has not yet formed, and the digestive defense itself is characterized by certain features. The disease has a rather complex course in children, so it is necessary to be treated.

Intestinal infections, or abbreviated as intestinal infections, among children occupy an “honorable” second place after acute respiratory viral infections, and often become the reason for hospitalization of young children in the hospital, and in infancy they can cause death when serious complications arise (dehydration, infectious-toxic shock, convulsions, coma).

Contents: What do they mean by OKI? What pathogens are responsible for the development of acute intestinal infections? Peculiarities of digestion in infants that contribute to OI The role of microflora in the genesis of OI How infants become infected with intestinal infections Manifestations of intestinal infection in infants Features of lesions in different parts of the digestive tract What is special about OI in infants

What do they mean by OKI?

By the term ACI (acute intestinal infection), doctors mean a whole group of pathologies of infectious origin that have different causes, but a single mechanism of infection (“diseases of dirty hands”) and are manifested by similar clinical symptoms - diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, malaise, fever.

These diseases are difficult in infancy and have every chance of a complicated course, which threatens hospitalization and intensive care.

Both in our country and throughout the world, the incidence of acute intestinal infections is extremely high, and up to two years of age, these diseases and their complications are one of the leading causes of death in children, especially in the first year of life. Often, ACIs take the form of epidemic outbreaks - that is, entire families or organized groups, departments of hospitals and even maternity hospitals fall ill at once.

What pathogens are responsible for the development of acute intestinal infections?

Based on the cause, all acute intestinal infections can be divided into several groups. So, they distinguish:

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Often, at an early age, the exact cause of AEI cannot be identified due to the early start of treatment and suppression of pathogenic flora through medications by the time the culture is taken and its result is obtained. Sometimes a whole group of microbes is seeded, and it is impossible to accurately determine the cause. Then a clinical diagnosis of OKINE is made, that is, it is OKI of unknown or unclear etiology.

The difference in diagnosis has virtually no effect on clinical manifestations and treatment methods, but is important for epidemiological surveillance and measures to prevent the spread of infection (current and final disinfection in the outbreak).

Features of the digestion of babies that contribute to OKI

In childhood, especially under three years of age, the digestive system has a special structure and functional activity, as well as specific immune reactions, which is a contributing factor to the development of acute intestinal infections. Infants are most sensitive to these diseases.

With AEI in children, various parts of the digestive tube can be affected, starting from the stomach (the esophagus and oral cavity are not involved in the process) to the rectum. Once in the oral cavity, food is treated with saliva, which contains lysozyme, which has a bactericidal effect. In infants there is little of it and it is of weak activity, and therefore food is less disinfected.

The intestinal mucosa has a mass of villi that actively participate in digestion. In young children, they are very tender and vulnerable; pathogenic objects easily damage them, which leads to swelling and secretion of fluid into the intestinal lumen - which immediately forms diarrhea.

The intestinal walls secrete protective (secretory) immunoglobulin – IgA; up to three years of age its activity is low, which also creates a predisposition to acute intestinal infections.

Let's add to this a general decrease in immune defense due to immaturity and early age.

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If the child is artificial, there is another negative factor, the lack of breast milk immunoglobulins and protective antibodies, which will break the baby in the fight against pathogenic agents.

The role of microflora in the genesis of acute intestinal infections

At birth, the digestive tract of infants is populated by microbes that form specific intestinal microflora, which plays an important role in immunity, vitamin synthesis, digestion and even mineral metabolism, and the breakdown of food. Microbial flora (creating a certain level of activity, pH and osmolarity of the environment) also, due to its activity, suppresses the growth and reproduction of pathogenic and opportunistic agents entering the intestines.

A stable balance of microbes helps infants protect themselves from acute intestinal infections, therefore the state of the microbial flora is extremely important at an early age, and the state of dysbacteriosis is a predisposing factor to the formation of acute intestinal infections.

If we talk about all microbes, they can be divided into groups:

Obligate (constantly located in the intestines), it also belongs to the beneficial flora. Its main representatives are bifido- and lactoflora, E. coli and some others. They make up up to 98% of the volume of all intestinal microbes. Its main functions are to suppress incoming pathogenic microbes and viruses, aid digestion, and stimulate the immune system.
facultative flora(it is also transient and opportunistic). This group of microbes, the presence of which in the intestines is permissible, but not necessary, in a small volume they are quite acceptable and do not harm. Under special conditions, a group of opportunistic microbes can lead to the development of acute intestinal infections (if immunity is reduced, intestinal dysbiosis is severe, or potent medications are taken).
pathogenic flora (atypical) getting into the intestinal lumen, leads to intestinal infections, and is therefore dangerous for children.

For infants, it is the pathogenic flora that is most dangerous, and with a decrease in immunity, severe dysbacteriosis and some special conditions, even its conditionally pathogenic representatives can become dangerous and give OCI.

How do infants become infected with intestinal infections?

The most common source of infection for infants is adults who suffer from acute intestinal infections or are carriers of pathogenic objects. The incubation period for ACI is usually short, with the exception of some pathogens, and lasts from several hours to several days (usually 1-2 days). For viral infections, contagiousness can last throughout the period of clinical symptoms and even up to two weeks after all symptoms have disappeared. In addition, food and water can be sources of pathogens for infants who are infected with viruses or microbes of a dangerous group.

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The causative agents of acute intestinal infections enter the body through the mouth - from dirty hands, with food or water, and for some infections the airborne route is also relevant (as with ARVI). Household appliances, dishes and things that are contaminated with pathogenic viruses and microbes can also be sources of infection. Bathing water taken from open reservoirs, which gets into the mouth, as well as non-observance of personal hygiene by parents, especially if they themselves are sick or are carriers of infection, can become dangerous.

Infants are the most susceptible to OCI, although people of any age can suffer from it. For children, a more severe course is typical, with a rapid onset of dehydration and negative consequences in the form of seizures, dehydration or other complications. For infancy, there are certain risk factors that lead to a more severe course of acute intestinal infections:

Formula feeding from birth
Children with prematurity or immaturity
Introduction of complementary foods that are inappropriate for age, improperly prepared, and contaminated with pathogens
Summer period, when the activity of dangerous pathogens is higher (for microbes)
Cold season (for viruses)
Immunodeficiency conditions of congenital or acquired origin
Lesions of the nervous system of traumatic or hypoxic origin.

It is important to understand that immunity to these infections is extremely unstable, and infants can, having had one acute infection, subsequently become infected with other types if precautions are not taken.

Vaccination of children and adult women before planning pregnancy
Taking care of women's health
- limiting contact with children, especially in educational institutions
- restriction of visiting crowded places
- careful contact with pets, avoiding cleaning cat litter
- eating thermally processed foods, excluding soft cheeses and semi-finished products
- an adequate way to protect against infection during sexual intercourse
Determining the level of immunoglobulins for the main intrauterine infections TORCH before planning pregnancy

What examination can the doctor prescribe?

Intestinal infections often cause death in infants, so timely detection of pathology and its etiology is very important. The doctor examines the child and prescribes additional tests aimed at identifying the causative agent of the pathology.

Stool scatology is performed to identify a specific pathogen and detect disturbances in the structure of the gastrointestinal tract. Cultures, biochemistry and general examinations of blood, feces, and urine are also carried out. If necessary, ultrasound diagnostics, etc. are performed.

Treatment and observation for intrauterine infection

It must be said that not all intrauterine infections can be treated. Sometimes it is impossible to cure them. For such therapy, it is first necessary to establish the condition of the mother and child and only then prescribe appropriate treatment. Treatment with antibiotics is indicated only in particularly dangerous cases.

In some cases, vaccination is done during pregnancy. For example, they can provide a vaccine against herpes. In addition, the duration of pregnancy also influences the treatment methods.

And, it should be noted that the best thing an expectant mother can do is to prevent the development of an intrauterine infection, which will help avoid further problems and pathologies. THEREFORE, it is best to take preventive measures regarding this. Preventive measures include, first of all, pregnancy planning.

At the planning stage, a woman can take all the necessary tests, check her health and eliminate problems, if any. When planning, both partners need to undergo an examination, and if any diseases are detected in a man, he also needs to undergo the necessary treatment.

In addition, already during pregnancy, a woman needs to carefully monitor her hygiene, wash her hands, vegetables and fruits, and hygiene is also needed in relationships with her sexual partner.

Proper nutrition strengthens the body's defenses and has a beneficial effect on a woman's health, which means it is also a good preventive measure against all kinds of infectious diseases.

During pregnancy, a woman should especially closely monitor her health, take the necessary tests and undergo examinations in a timely manner. And even if the doctor talks about possible infection of the fetus, you should not panic ahead of time. Timely diagnosis and modern medicine in most cases have a positive impact on both the health of the expectant mother and the health of the newborn. And even with intrauterine infections, absolutely healthy babies are born.

Treatment of intestinal infections in breastfed infants is much faster and easier than in formula-fed infants. After all, breast milk strengthens the immune defense and increases the body's resistance to pathogenic microorganisms.

The primary task is to cleanse the intestinal structures of pathogenic pathogens, which helps stop the toxic effects and prevent dehydration. Such small children must be treated under strict medical supervision, then the microclimate in the intestines will quickly return to normal.

It is important to exclude food for 12-18 hours, during which it is allowed to give the baby water or weak tea.

The use of sorbent agents (Enterosgel, Smecta) is indicated, which help to quickly remove all toxic substances from the structures of the gastrointestinal tract and contribute to the rapid restoration of water-electrolyte balance.

If the baby often vomits, then you need to rinse the stomach cavity. If the baby still vomits, then you need to provide drip-infusion nutrition to the child. If the infection is severe bacterial, treatment with antibiotics over a wide area of action is indicated.

As medical practice shows, the human body always contains microorganisms that are causative agents of all kinds of diseases. And if a man, having become infected with them, is responsible only for himself, then with a representative of the fair sex it is more difficult. Moreover, if she is in an interesting position at the time of infection.

Depending on which pathogen causes infection of the mother’s body, the baby’s illness will be determined. According to doctors, the disease is caused by:

Herpes viruses, rubella, influenza, cytomegaly;
Bacteria – streptococci, Escherichia coli, treponema pallidum, chlamydia;
Protozoa (Toxoplasma);
Mushrooms.

The presence of the following factors in the expectant mother will increase the risk of infection of the newborn:

A woman’s health is undermined by various chronic illnesses;
The female body is affected by many negative factors such as excessive smoking and alcohol and employment in hazardous work;
Constant stress throughout pregnancy;
Mom suffers from chronic ailments of the genitourinary system.

T – toxoplasmosis;

O – others. By this we mean almost all ailments of an infectious nature;

R is for rubella. In Latin rubella;

C – cytomegalovirus infection of the newborn;

H – herpes.

The degree of influence of the infection on the further development of the baby will depend on the period at which the infection occurred;

Up to twelve weeks - infection at such an early stage often leads to spontaneous interruption or in the future the development of the little one will pass with major defects;
The infection occurred between 12 and 28 weeks - usually at this stage infection will lead to developmental delays. The consequence of this will be that the newborn will be born underweight;
Infection after 28 weeks is dangerous because it has a negative effect on the child’s fully formed organs. The brain, heart, liver and lungs are primarily affected. That is, all vital organs.

If an infection is detected during pregnancy, this is not a reason to give up. The disease can be easily treated with antibiotics. Representatives of the penicillin group take precedence here. Indeed, despite their venerable “age” among antibiotics, they are still one of the most effective drugs in the treatment of viral infections. Moreover, they are practically safe for the baby’s health.

At the same time, antimicrobial drugs are actively used. Their use often saves the child’s life and also reduces the negative consequences.

With a viral infection, treatment is a rather difficult process, but if you start it in a timely manner, the consequences can be prevented. But if they have already formed, then antiviral drugs are useless. In this case, surgical methods often come to the rescue. In cases of cataracts or congenital heart disease, the child will have a chance to live his future life independently, with a minimum of outside help. It is not uncommon for such children to need hearing aids many years later.

As mentioned above, acute herpes with rashes on the mother’s labia is definitely an indication for a cesarean section. In other cases, nothing interferes with natural childbirth.

Intestinal infection in infants is not uncommon. Most pathogens enter the child's mouth through dirty hands and toys.

These microorganisms take part in the processing of food and form the baby's feces. Normally, a breastfed baby stools more than 4 times a day. Feeding a child with artificial nutrition is less beneficial: stool is observed no more than 2 times, and problems with constipation often arise.

But not only beneficial microorganisms populate the children's intestines: pathogenic bacteria enter it along with the mother's dirty hands, unwashed pacifiers and toys. Intestinal infections in infants have a favorable prognosis only if the pathology is diagnosed early and treatment is started on time.

If the infection is allowed to start, the disease can cause dehydration and serious intoxication of the child’s body. Signs of an intestinal infection in an infant are repeated vomiting and diarrhea, which occur within the first hours of the onset of the disease.

For an infant, this is dangerous due to severe dehydration, disruption of the urinary system, and the development of pathological conditions in the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. In extreme cases, in the absence of adequate treatment, an intestinal infection in an infant can lead to the death of the child.

How does infection occur?

The route of infection is oral. Pathogenic microorganisms initially enter the child's mouth and then spread through the gastrointestinal tract.

You can get infected in several ways:

In direct contact with a sick person.
Through dirty objects that have entered the child's mouth.
Through food products. Pathogenic viruses and bacteria are found in spoiled or low-quality products.
Poor quality water.

First signs of infection

The first symptoms of an intestinal infection in a baby, which should alert a young mother:

Sudden rise in temperature. It is impossible to miss this moment, since even in the absence of a thermometer, a fever in an infant is clearly visible due to a change in the color of the skin and an increase in its temperature to the touch.
The second symptom of an intestinal infection in a baby is repeated vomiting. In this case, the child may completely refuse food, since everything eaten immediately leaves the stomach in the opposite direction.
Changes in the color and consistency of stool. Normally, an infant's stool looks like a yellow, mushy mass. If the stool becomes greenish and very liquid, and also mixed with mucus, you need to sound the alarm.
Intestinal dysfunction and pain associated with this are expressed in the baby’s external discomfort. He cries pitifully, bends his knees to his stomach, and shudders, as if asking for help.

How to deal with the infection?

Treatment of intestinal infection in infants is aimed at destroying pathogenic microflora. The complex course includes antibiotics, adsorbents, as well as drugs that eliminate dehydration and intoxication of the body.

Frequent causative agents of intrauterine infection

Statistics show that this list includes the following infections in descending order:

Toxoplasmosis;
Cytomegalovirus;
Staphylococcal infection.

Cytomegalovirus in newborns

Experts, in turn, divide staphylococcal infection into two types:

Purulent-inflammatory processes with a local character;
Generalized infection or sepsis.

The most dangerous for a child is Staphylococcus aureus. The fact that its causative agent is present in the child’s body can be recognized by pustules on the skin. This also includes purulent inflammation of the umbilical wound. The consequences of staphylococcal infection are quite severe, including toxicological shock.

One of the decisive factors in this sense is the health of the mother during pregnancy and the successful outcome of childbirth. If parents, after being discharged from the hospital, notice unusual behavior of the child or uncharacteristic changes in appearance, they should immediately consult a doctor.

When is hospitalization indicated?

Doctors warn that if you have some symptoms, you should urgently call an ambulance:

If small bloody clots are found in the baby’s vomit;
If the baby cannot drink, he vomits constantly, after every sip of plain water;
If the baby has not asked to go to the toilet for the last 5-6 hours, and his skin has dried out;
If hyperthermic reactions suddenly appear that are difficult to stop;
If there are allergic rashes on the body or the child complains of severe headaches.

If such dangerous symptoms appear, the baby should be taken to the hospital immediately.

Risk groups for diseases dangerous to the fetus

Children's doctors have long compiled a list of those who are included in the so-called risk group. In the same list, in addition to living persons, doctors also included subjective reasons. Here is the list:

Mothers with previously born children. School students and preschool pupils;
Workers of kindergartens and schools;
Health workers working directly with children;
Pregnant women who have inflammatory diseases with a chronic course of the disease;
Those women who have had repeated abortions for medical reasons;
Women who have already given birth to infected children;
Those women who have had children in the past or pregnancy with fetal malformation and fetal death in utero;
The amniotic fluid broke long before birth.

A pregnant woman should consult a doctor as soon as she feels the following symptoms:

A sharp rise in temperature;
The lymph nodes have enlarged and become painful to the touch;
The skin suddenly broke out in a rash;
Cough and shortness of breath appeared;
Drowsiness, lacrimation;
The joints are swollen and hurt when moving.

It is not necessary that all these signs are dangerous for the little one. But they are required to contact a doctor. It is better to be safe than to undergo long and difficult treatment later.

There are three main ways of transmitting intrauterine infection during pregnancy:

Transplacental (hematogenous) - viruses (CMV, herpes, etc.), syphilis, toxoplasmosis, listeriosis

The pathogen enters from the mother's blood through the placenta. If this happens in the 1st trimester, then malformations and deformities often occur. If the fetus becomes infected in the 3rd trimester, the newborn will show signs of acute infection. Direct entry of the pathogen into the baby’s blood leads to generalized damage.

Ascending - mycoplasma, chlamydia, herpes

The infection ascends from the genital tract of the mother to the child. This usually occurs after rupture of the membranes, at the time of birth, but sometimes it also happens during pregnancy. The main cause of intrauterine infection is its entry into the amniotic fluid, and as a result, damage to the skin, respiratory and digestive tract of the fetus.

The infection descends to the fetus through the fallopian tubes (with adnexitis, oophoritis).

Infecting a baby before birth can be dangerous at any stage of pregnancy. But some infections pose a great threat to life and health in the first trimester (rubella virus, for example), and some diseases are terrible if infected a couple of days before childbirth (chickenpox).

Early infection often leads to miscarriages and severe malformations. Late infection is usually associated with a rapidly progressing infectious disease in the newborn. More specific risks and the degree of danger are determined by the attending physician based on test results, ultrasound, gestational age and the characteristics of a particular infection.

Women with older children attending school and preschool institutions
Workers of kindergartens, nurseries, schools
Medical workers
Pregnant women with chronic inflammatory diseases
Indication of repeated medical abortions
Women with a history of giving birth to infected children
Malformations and antenatal fetal death in the past
Untimely rupture of amniotic fluid

Preventive measures

It has long been known that it is better to prevent any illness than to treat it later. TORCH infections are no exception. Preventive measures are divided into two types: before conception and pregnancy.

Measures up to

First of all, this means passing all tests for the presence of immunity to diseases included in the list of intrauterine diseases. If tests show that the titers contain an indicator such as IqG, this will indicate that the woman’s body has the necessary antibodies. If this is not the case, then this means only one thing - the woman’s body is open to infection.

Therefore, if pregnancy is planned, then she must first be vaccinated against rubella. In order to avoid toxoplasmosis, you can temporarily remove all animals from the house before giving birth and be examined together with your partner for infection with herpes and cytomegalovirus. If the IqG indicator is very high, then this indicates that there is an acute infection in the female body. And before you plan the birth of your baby, you need to undergo complete treatment.

But if the pregnant woman’s tests show an IqG titer, then this clearly indicates infection of the female body. In theory, this means: the unborn baby is also in danger. And to exclude this, the expectant mother needs to undergo some additional tests, by which she can determine the condition of the fetus and develop her further actions.

And keep track of your contacts.

Important facts about IUI

Up to 10% of all pregnancies are accompanied by transmission of infection from mother to fetus
0.5% of children born have some symptoms of infection
Infection of the mother does not necessarily lead to infection of the fetus
Many infections that are dangerous to the fetus are mild in the mother or have no symptoms at all.
Infection of the fetus most often occurs when the mother has a new infection
Timely treatment of a pregnant woman can reduce or eliminate risks to the fetus.

How does a fetus become infected?

A newborn can become infected in several ways - through the circulatory system connecting the mother to him or by passing through the birth canal.

How the infection gets to the fetus depends on what is causing it. If a pregnant woman becomes infected with a sexually transmitted infection from her partner, the virus can reach the baby through the vagina and fallopian tubes. In addition, the fetus can become infected through the woman's circulatory system or through amniotic fluid. This is possible when infected with diseases such as rubella, endometritis, placentitis.

These infections can be transmitted both from a sexual partner, and through contact with a sick person, and even through drinking raw water or poorly processed food.

The danger of IUI during pregnancy.

If a woman has previously encountered an infectious agent, then she has developed immunity to a number of them. If it repeatedly encounters the causative agent of IUI, the immune system prevents the disease from developing. But if a pregnant woman encounters the causative agent of the disease for the first time, then not only the mother’s body but also the unborn baby may suffer.

The effect of the disease on the body and its degree depends on how far along the woman is. When a pregnant woman falls ill before twelve weeks, it can lead to miscarriage or fetal malformations.

If the fetus is infected between the twelfth and twenty-eighth weeks, it can cause intrauterine growth restriction, resulting in a low birth weight in the newborn.

At later stages of infection of a child, the disease can affect his already developed organs and affect them. Pathologies can affect the baby's most vulnerable organ - the brain, which continues to develop in the mother's stomach until birth. Other mature organs, such as the heart, lungs, liver, etc., may also be affected.

It follows from this that the expectant mother needs to carefully prepare for pregnancy, undergo all the necessary examinations and cure existing hidden diseases. And for some of them, preventive measures can be taken. For example, get vaccinated. Well, carefully monitor your health so that the baby is born strong.

Consequences of intrauterine infection for a child

Congenital infection can develop in 2 scenarios: acute and chronic. Acute infection is dangerous with severe sepsis, pneumonia and shock. Signs of ill health in such babies are visible almost from birth: they eat poorly, sleep a lot, and become less and less active. But often the disease acquired in the womb is sluggish or has no obvious symptoms. Such children are also at risk for long-term consequences: hearing and vision impairment, delayed mental and motor development.

Intrauterine infection in a newborn is a special group of diseases that the baby becomes infected with before birth. Cases of infection directly during labor are also recorded. Infections of this nature can lead to fetal death, miscarriage or abnormal development.

Cases have been recorded where pathologies led to early childbirth, defects, and severe damage to the central nervous system. That is why it is advisable to carry out diagnostics in a timely manner. It involves carrying out research at the microscopic level. Additionally, the functioning, immunity, enzymes, interaction of molecules and the correctness of biological processes are analyzed.

Treatment of infections of this nature is carried out with the help of immunoglobulins and modulators. The woman is prescribed regular use of antiviral drugs, the action of which is aimed at destroying bacteria.

Intrauterine infection in newborns is observed in the presence of pathologies in certain processes. The situation is observed against the background of fetal infection. To date, it has not been possible to fully determine the route of infection. Today, approximately 10% of all children are born with this disease. This problem is especially acute in pediatrics, since this causes a large number of deaths and the development of diseases immediately after birth. Parents are advised to pay attention to infection prevention. In this case, it will be possible to reduce the risk of developing dangerous diseases.

Diagnosis of infection is prescribed during pregnancy

Causes of diseases

The process of infection in these diseases begins while the fetus is in the womb. The risk of infection also remains during labor. In this case, the mother is the carrier of the infection. The disease can be transmitted vertically or upward. It all depends on the location of the viruses and bacteria.

Only in rare cases has a pregnant woman been infected during a diagnosis that required a biopsy or other specific procedures. The risk increases when drugs are administered to the baby through blood or plasma.

Viral agents can be transmitted antenatally. In this case, the fetus may be infected with rubella, herpes, hepatitis, and HIV. Due to intracellular pathogens, toxoplasmosis or mycoplasmosis is diagnosed.

An important role is played by the condition of the birth canal and the very process of the birth of the baby. At this stage, there remains a risk of microbes entering the baby’s body in various ways. Among bacteria, the possibility of infection with streptococci, Proteus, Klebsiella and others is increased. The placenta is initially used as an effective barrier. However, even minor damage to it can lead to the development of insufficiency. Through small holes, harmful bacteria can get inside without any special obstacles. Among them, the syphilis virus is especially dangerous.

The mother's medical history and the presence of previously unfavorable pregnancies are also taken into account. The risk of developing intrauterine infections also increases if the baby is born prematurely. Additionally, the period during which the woman was infected (before and after pregnancy) is analyzed.

During childbirth, the doctor analyzes the basic properties of amniotic fluid

The child is directly affected by the period of infection, as well as the virus that caused the development of the pathology. For example, if the pathogen penetrates during the first ten weeks of pregnancy, it will end in spontaneous miscarriage. If the infection occurs in the twelfth week, then most likely the child will be born dead or will have serious defects in the development of internal organs and systems. Infection of the fetus from the second trimester is fraught with improper development of individual internal organs or the presence of a pronounced generalized infection after birth.

It should be noted that the symptoms are radically different between mother and child. Even if no negative manifestations were detected in a woman, serious lesions may subsequently be detected in the fetus.

It is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of stillbirth. Viruses and bacteria tend to penetrate deep into tissue and disrupt the functioning of the central nervous system, heart and other important organs.

Symptoms of infections

The consequences of infection in a baby are visible even during labor. The doctor pays attention to the condition of the amniotic fluid - it becomes cloudy and contains a lot of meconium. The patient may feel unwell. If a child has an intrauterine infection, then the risk of having a baby with asphyxia, a large liver and other general developmental defects increases. As a rule, rubella, pyoderma and various profuse skin rashes are additionally diagnosed. Some babies experience fever, convulsions, and various respiratory and cardiac disorders.

Antenatal intrauterine infection can lead to pneumonia, myocarditis, anemia and other diseases that appear within a few days after the baby is born. Next, the child is examined using special medical equipment. With its help, you can identify diseases of the organs of vision, defects in the heart, the presence of cysts and improper functioning of the brain.

With IUI, a child may develop pathologies

The neonatologist pays attention to the baby in the postpartum period. In the presence of diseases, he often regurgitates, there is muscle weakness, and an incorrect reaction of the central nervous system. The skin is examined regularly. It is not allowed to be a pronounced gray color. Intrauterine infections have different incubation periods. Each disease is analyzed separately depending on the nature and specification of the manifestation.

Each individual TORCH infection has different diagnostic and treatment methods. It is recommended that you consult a specialist in the field for detailed advice on this matter.

Main types of infections

Intrauterine infection is a broad concept. Its division is carried out depending on the source of the disease:

In medical practice, it is customary to combine the most common diseases with a special abbreviation - TORCH.

This syndrome includes toxoplasmosis, rubella, herpes and other lesions.

This includes testing for the presence of HIV, hepatitis, smallpox, mycoplasmosis, and syphilis.

Toxoplasmosis: features of infection

The disease is diagnosed if the fetus in the womb has been infected with Toxoplasma Gondii cells. Pathology can lead to abnormal development, the presence of defects of the brain, heart and other internal organs.

Diagnosis is made immediately after the baby is born. The infection manifests itself in the form of severe fever, jaundice, swelling, stool disorders, and periodic convulsions. Additionally, the baby may have symptoms of meningitis and encephalitis. If the disease becomes chronic, the situation is aggravated by strabismus or complete atrophy of the optic nerve. Unfortunately, the infection can be fatal before birth.

At a late stage of the disease, the baby develops epilepsy and complete blindness.

Features of rubella during intrauterine infection

Infection occurs when the disease is transmitted during gestation. In the first eight weeks the probability reaches eighty percent. In the second trimester it drops to twenty, and in the third to eight percent.

If the child has the disease, he will be born prematurely and will not gain weight well. Additionally, a rash and obvious manifestations of jaundice can be seen on the skin.

Congenital rubella is dangerous due to the following symptoms:

partial or complete damage to the eye muscle;
insufficient tone of the auditory nerve.

If the infection strikes the baby in the second part of pregnancy, he may be born with retinopathy or complete deafness.

Anomalies against the background of rubella are extensive. Defects can manifest themselves in the structure of the palate, hepatitis, abnormal structure of the skeleton or genitourinary system. The infection is dangerous because the child may subsequently lag behind in physical and mental development.

Diagnosis should be carried out during pregnancy and after the birth of the baby

Cytomegaly: features of infection and course of infection

This type of infection is dangerous because it leads to severe damage to the internal systems of the sick child. The complication can also lead to immunodeficiency or the appearance of purulent skin lesions. Defects can be either congenital or appear during a certain period of development. During the postpartum period, jaundice, hemorrhoids, pneumonia, anemia and other diseases may appear.

Subsequently, the organs of vision, liver, deafness and other diseases remain at risk.

Intrauterine herpes infection

Herpes infection can manifest itself in several forms:

the generalized form is characterized by toxicosis, the presence of respiratory diseases, jaundice, diseases of the upper respiratory tract and lungs, hemorrhoids;
neurological;
damage to the mucous membrane and skin.

If the bacterial infection becomes multiple, the child is diagnosed with sepsis.

Herpes is a dangerous infection that can lead to a number of complications. Among the most dangerous are complete deafness, blindness, abnormal development or delay in it.

Features of diagnostics

Today, the diagnosis of intrauterine infections is quite acute. It is necessary to find out as early as possible about the presence of harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. To do this, a smear is taken in the gynecologist’s office, cultured to check for the presence of bacteria and the state of the microflora. In some cases, PCR or complex TORCH analysis is additionally prescribed. Invasive prenatal diagnosis should only be performed on women who are at increased risk.

The gynecologist will be able to examine certain markers during an ultrasound examination. Attention should be paid to diagnosis if low or polyhydramnios and other pathologies of pregnancy development were previously diagnosed. If there are deviations, the doctor will additionally prescribe a study of the functioning of the heart and blood flow.

Additional research must be carried out even after the baby is born. For this purpose, microbiological tests are performed. DNA research should be done. For this purpose, serological research methods are used. An important role is played by the result of histology of the placenta, which can also be done after childbirth.

If the baby is suspected of having any intrauterine infection, then during the first day of life he should be constantly under the supervision of a neurologist, cardiologist and other specialists in the field of childhood diseases. At their discretion, tests are prescribed to identify pathologies in the development of hearing, vision and other internal organs.

For prevention purposes, a woman should be regularly examined by a gynecologist.

Basic principles of treating infections

At the first stage of eliminating pathologies, it is necessary to take medications to boost immunity against the development of viral, bacterial and other diseases.

To improve immunity, it is necessary to use special modulators and immunoglobulins. Acyclovir is most often used against viruses. Effective therapy against bacteria involves the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Therapy must be carried out one at a time to get rid of each individual symptom. Otherwise, the risk of pathologies in the central nervous system increases. As a result, the child may experience problems with the heart and lungs.

Prevention of infections

If a patient is diagnosed with a generalized form of infection, then the probability of transmitting it to the child is eighty percent. With local manifestations, the risk of damage to only individual internal organs increases. Unfortunately, almost every infection can lead to problems with the central nervous system in the future.

Basic methods of prevention involve conducting a complete examination of the patient before pregnancy. During pregnancy, you should protect yourself from contact with sick people. If a woman has not previously had rubella and has not been vaccinated against it, then the injection must be given three months before the planned pregnancy. Additionally, it should be noted that some cases of infection require termination of pregnancy at any stage.

Developing in the mother's belly, the child is relatively safe. In relative terms, since even in such sterile conditions there is a risk of developing an infectious disease. This large group of diseases is called intrauterine infections. During pregnancy, a woman should especially carefully monitor her health. A sick mother can infect her child during fetal development or during childbirth. We will discuss the signs and methods of diagnosing such diseases in the article.

The danger of intrauterine infections is that they unceremoniously interfere with the formation of a new life, which is why babies are born weak and sick - with defects in mental and physical development. Such infections can cause the greatest harm to the fetus in the first 3 months of its existence.

Intrauterine infection during pregnancy: what statistics say

A timely diagnosed and treated infectious disease in a pregnant woman poses minimal danger to her child.
Infectious agents pass from mother to baby in 10 out of 100 pregnancies.
0.5% of infants infected in the womb are born with corresponding signs of the disease.
An infection that has settled in the mother’s body does not necessarily pass to the fetus, and the child has a chance to be born healthy.
A number of infectious diseases that do not promise anything good for the baby may be present in the mother in a latent form and have virtually no effect on her well-being.
If a pregnant woman gets sick with one or another infectious disease for the first time, there is a high probability that her child will also become infected.

Intrauterine infection - ways of infecting the embryo

There are four ways in which infectious agents can enter a tiny growing organism:

hematogenous (transplacental) – from the mother, harmful microorganisms penetrate to the fetus through the placenta. This route of infection is characteristic of viruses and toxoplasma;
ascending - infection occurs when the causative agent of the infection rises through the genital tract to the uterus and, having penetrated its cavity, infects the embryo. So the baby may develop chlamydial infection and enterococci;
descending – the focus of infection is the fallopian tubes (with adnexitis or oophoritis). From there, the pathogens penetrate the uterine cavity, where they infect the child;
contact - infection of the baby occurs during childbirth, when it moves through the birth canal of a sick mother. Pathogens enter the child’s body after he has swallowed infected amniotic fluid.

Intrauterine infection at different stages of pregnancy: consequences for the child

The outcome of infectious infection of the fetus depends on at what stage of intrauterine development it was attacked by dangerous microorganisms:

pregnancy period 3 – 12 weeks: spontaneous termination of pregnancy or the appearance of various developmental anomalies in the fetus;
gestation period 11 – 28 weeks: the fetus is noticeably delayed in intrauterine development, the child is born with insufficient body weight and various malformations (for example, congenital heart disease);
pregnancy period after 30 weeks: developmental anomalies affect the fetal organs, which by this time have already formed. The infection poses the greatest danger to the central nervous system, heart, liver, lungs and visual organs.

In addition, congenital infection has acute and chronic forms. The following consequences indicate acute infection of a child at birth:

state of shock;
pneumonia;
sepsis (blood poisoning).

Some time after birth, acute intrauterine infection in newborns can manifest itself with the following signs:

excess daily sleep duration;
poor appetite;
insufficient physical activity, which decreases every day.

If the congenital infection is chronic, there may be no clinical picture at all. Distant signs of intrauterine infection include:

complete or partial deafness;
mental health disorders;
vision pathologies;
lagging behind peers in motor development.

Penetration of infection to the fetus through the uterus leads to the following consequences:

stillbirth of a baby;
intrauterine embryonic death;
frozen pregnancy;
spontaneous abortion.

The following pathological consequences are recorded in children who survived such infection:

heat;
rash and erosive skin lesions;
non-immune hydrops fetalis;
anemia;
enlarged liver due to jaundice;
pneumonia;
pathologies of the heart muscle;
pathology of the eye lens;
microcephaly and hydrocephalus.

Intrauterine infection: who is at risk

Every expectant mother runs the risk of being captured by an infectious agent, because during pregnancy her body’s defenses are depleted to the limit. But the greatest danger awaits women who:

already have one or more children attending kindergarten or school;
are related to the medical field and are in direct contact with people who may be potential carriers of infection;
work in kindergarten, school and other children's institutions;
have had 2 or more medical terminations of pregnancy in the past;
have inflammatory diseases in a sluggish form;
faced untimely rupture of amniotic fluid;
have had a previous pregnancy with abnormal embryo development or intrauterine fetal death;
have already given birth to a baby with signs of infection in the past.

Symptoms of intrauterine infection in a woman during pregnancy

Doctors identify several universal signs that suggest that the expectant mother has contracted an infectious disease:

sudden increase in temperature, fever;
shortness of breath when walking or climbing stairs;
cough;
rash on the body;
enlarged lymph nodes that react painfully to touch;
painful joints that appear swollen;
conjunctivitis, lacrimation;
nasal congestion;
painful sensations in the chest.

This set of indications may also indicate the development of allergies in a pregnant woman. In this case, there is no threat of infectious infection of the fetus. Be that as it may, the expectant mother should go to the hospital as soon as at least one of these symptoms appears.

Causes of intrauterine infection during pregnancy

The activity of ubiquitous pathogenic microorganisms is the main cause of morbidity among women who are preparing to become mothers. Many bacteria and viruses, entering the mother's body, are transmitted to the child, provoking the development of serious anomalies. Viruses responsible for the development of acute respiratory viral diseases do not pose a danger to the fetus. A threat to the child’s condition appears only if a pregnant woman develops a high body temperature.

One way or another, intrauterine infection of the baby occurs exclusively from the sick mother. There are several main factors that can contribute to the development of infectious pathology in the fetus:

Acute and chronic diseases of the mother in the genitourinary system. Among them are such inflammatory pathologies as cervical ectopia, urethritis, cystitis, and pyelonephritis.
The mother has an immunodeficiency state or HIV infection.
Organ and tissue transplantation that the woman has undergone in the past.

Intrauterine infections: main characteristics and routes of infection

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

The causative agent of the disease is a representative of herpes viruses. You can get the disease through sexual and close household contact, through blood (for example, through a transfusion from an infected donor).

During the primary infection of a pregnant woman, the microorganism penetrates the placenta and infects the fetus. In some cases, the baby does not experience any abnormal consequences after infection. But at the same time, statistics say: 10 out of 100 babies whose mothers encountered an infection during pregnancy have pronounced signs of intrauterine infection.

The consequences of such an intrauterine infection during pregnancy are as follows:

spontaneous abortion;
stillbirth;
hearing loss of sensorineural origin;
low birth weight;
hydro- and microcephaly;
pneumonia;
lag in the development of psychomotor skills;
pathological enlargement of the liver and spleen;
blindness of varying severity.

Cytomegalovirus under a microscope

If the infectious lesion is of a general combined nature, more than half of the babies die within 2 to 3 months after birth. In addition, consequences such as mental retardation, hearing loss and blindness are likely to develop. With mild local damage, the consequences are not so fatal.

Unfortunately, there are no medications yet that can eliminate the symptoms of CMV in newborns. If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with cytomegalovirus infection, the pregnancy is abandoned because the child has a chance to remain healthy. The expectant mother will be prescribed an appropriate course of treatment to minimize the effect of the disease on her body.

Intrauterine infection - herpes simplex virus (HSV)

A newborn baby is diagnosed with a congenital herpes infection if his mother is diagnosed with herpes simplex virus type 2, which in most cases is contracted through unprotected sexual contact. Signs of the disease will appear in the child almost immediately, during the first month of life. Infection of the baby occurs mainly during the birth process, when it moves through the birth canal of the infected mother. In some cases, the virus reaches the fetus through the placenta.

When a child’s body is affected by a herpes infection, the consequences are severe:

pneumonia;
visual impairment;
brain damage;
skin rash;
heat;
poor blood clotting;
jaundice;
apathy, lack of appetite;
stillbirth.

Severe cases of infection result in mental retardation, cerebral palsy and a vegetative state.

Herpes simplex virus under a microscope

Intrauterine infection - rubella

This disease is rightfully considered one of the most life-threatening embryos. The route of transmission of the rubella virus is airborne, and infection is possible even over a long distance. The disease, which poses a particularly great threat before the 16th week of pregnancy, “programs” various deformities in the development of the baby:

low birth weight;
spontaneous abortion, intrauterine death;
microcephaly;
congenital anomalies of the development of the heart muscle;
hearing loss;
cataract;
various skin diseases;
pneumonia;
unnatural enlargement of the liver and spleen;
meningitis, encephalitis.

Intrauterine infection - parvovirus B19

The presence of this virus in the body provokes the development of a disease known as erythema infectiosum. In adults, the disease does not manifest itself in any way because it is latent. However, the consequences of the pathology for the fetus are more than serious: the child may die before birth, and there is also a threat of spontaneous abortion and intrauterine infection. On average, infected children die in 10 cases out of 100. At 13–28 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus is especially defenseless against this infection.

When infected with parvovirus B19, the following consequences are noted:

swelling;
anemia;
brain damage;
hepatitis;
myocardial inflammation;
peritonitis.

Intrauterine infection - chickenpox

When an expectant mother is infected with chickenpox, the infection also affects the child in 25 out of 100 cases, but symptoms of the disease are not always present.

Congenital chickenpox is identified by the following characteristics:

brain damage;
pneumonia;
skin rash;
delayed development of eyes and limbs;
optic nerve atrophy.

Newborn babies infected in the womb are not treated for chickenpox, since the clinical picture of the disease does not progress. If a pregnant woman “caught” an infection 5 days before giving birth or later, the baby will be given an injection of immunoglobulin after birth, since there are no maternal antibodies in his body.

Intrauterine infection - hepatitis B

You can get a dangerous virus during sexual intercourse with an infected person in the absence of barrier methods of contraception. The causative agent of the disease penetrates the baby through the placenta. The most dangerous period in terms of infection is from 4 to 9 months of pregnancy. The consequences of infection for a child are:

hepatitis B, which can be treated with the appropriate approach;
liver cancer;
indolent form of hepatitis B;
acute form of hepatitis B, which provokes the development of liver failure in the child and he dies;
delay in the development of psychomotor functions;
hypoxia;
miscarriage.

Intrauterine infection - human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

HIV infection is a scourge for special immune lymphocytes. In most cases, infection occurs during sexual intercourse with a sick partner. A child can become infected while in the womb or during birth. Intensive complex treatment is recommended for HIV-infected children, otherwise they will not live even two years - the infection quickly “eats” the weak body. Infected children die from infections that do not pose a mortal danger to healthy children.

To confirm HIV in an infant, the polymerase chain reaction diagnostic method is used. It is also very important to promptly detect the infection in the body of a pregnant woman. If the baby is lucky enough to be born healthy, the mother will not breastfeed him so that the infection is not transmitted to him through milk.

Intrauterine infection - listeriosis

The disease develops as a result of the activity of the Listeria bacterium. The microorganism easily penetrates the fetus through the placenta. Infection of a pregnant woman occurs through unwashed vegetables and a number of food products (milk, eggs, meat). In women, the disease may be asymptomatic, although in some cases fever, vomiting and diarrhea are noted. In an infected baby, the signs of listeriosis are as follows:

rash and multiple accumulations of pustules on the skin;
inflammation of the brain;
refusal of food;
sepsis;
spontaneous miscarriage;
stillbirth of a baby.

If signs of listeriosis become obvious in the first week after birth, then babies die in 60 cases out of 100. After confirmation of listeriosis in a pregnant woman, she is prescribed a two-week course of treatment with Ampicillin.

Intrauterine infection - syphilis

If a pregnant woman has syphilis, which she has not treated, the probability of infecting her child is almost 100%. Out of 10 infected babies, only 4 survive, and those who survive are diagnosed with congenital syphilis. The child will become infected even if the mother’s disease is latent. The results of the infection in the child’s body are as follows:

tooth decay, damage to the organs of vision and hearing;
damage to the upper and lower extremities;
formation of cracks and rashes on the skin;
anemia;
jaundice;
mental retardation;
premature birth;
stillbirth.

Intrauterine infection - toxoplasmosis

The main carriers of toxoplasmosis are cats and dogs. The causative agent of the disease enters the body of the expectant mother when she takes care of a pet or, out of habit, tastes meat with an insufficient degree of heat treatment while preparing dinner. Infection during pregnancy poses a great danger to the intrauterine development of the baby - in 50 cases out of 100, the infection overcomes the placental barrier and affects the fetus. The consequences of a child becoming infected are as follows:

damage to the organs of vision;
hydrocephalus;
microcephaly;
abnormally enlarged liver and spleen;
inflammation of the brain;
spontaneous abortion;
delay in the development of psychomotor functions.

Cytomegalovirus, rubella, toxoplasmosis, herpes, tuberculosis, syphilis and some other diseases are combined into a group of so-called TORCH infections. When planning a pregnancy, future parents undergo tests that help identify these pathological conditions.

Tests for intrauterine infections during pregnancy

Over the course of 9 months, the expectant mother will have to undergo more than one laboratory test so that doctors can make sure that she is healthy. Pregnant women take a blood test for hepatitis B and C, and syphilis. The PRC method is also used for pregnant women, thanks to which it is possible to detect active viruses in the blood, if any. In addition, expectant mothers regularly visit the laboratory to take a vaginal smear for microflora.

Ultrasound examination is of no small importance for successful pregnancy management. This method is absolutely safe for the fetus. And although this procedure is not directly related to the diagnosis of infectious diseases, with its help doctors can detect abnormalities of intrauterine development caused by pathogenic microorganisms. There is every reason to talk about an intrauterine infection if the following symptoms become obvious on an ultrasound:

Formed developmental pathologies.
Polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios.
Swelling of the placenta.
Enlarged abdomen and unnaturally enlarged structural units of the kidneys.
Enlarged internal organs: heart, liver, spleen.
Foci of calcium deposition in the intestines, liver and brain.
Enlarged ventricles of the brain.

In the diagnostic program for examining expectant mothers belonging to the risk groups we discussed above, a special place is occupied by the seroimmunological method for determining immunoglobulins. As necessary, doctors resort to amniocentesis and cordocentnesis. The first method of research is to study amniotic fluid, the second involves studying umbilical cord blood. These diagnostic methods are very informative in detecting infection. If the presence of an intrauterine infection is suspected in a baby, then the material for research is the baby’s biological fluids - for example, saliva or blood.

Danger of TORCH infections during pregnancy. Video

Intrauterine infections (UII) are a group of diseases that can affect a baby while still in the womb. They are quite dangerous and can lead to intrauterine fetal death, birth defects, central nervous system dysfunction, organ damage and spontaneous abortion. However, they can be diagnosed with certain methods and treated. This is done with the help of immunoglobulins and immunomodulators and other antiviral and antimicrobial drugs.

Intrauterine infections and their causes

Intrauterine infections - These are infections that infect the fetus itself even before birth. According to general data, about ten percent of newborns are born with congenital infections. And now this is a very pressing problem in pediatric practice, because such infections lead to the death of babies.

In the antenatal period, infection of the baby is usually associated with viral diseases, which include:

In the intranatal period, infection largely depends on the state of the mother's birth canal. More often these are various types of bacterial infections, which usually include group B streptococci, gonococci, enterobacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc. Thus, Infection of the fetus in the womb occurs in several ways:

transplacental, which includes viruses of different types. More often, the fetus is affected in the first trimester and the pathogen reaches it through the placenta, causing irreversible changes, malformations and deformities. If infection by the virus occurs in the third trimester, the newborn may show signs of acute infection;
ascending, which includes chlamydia, herpes, in which the infection passes from the genital tract of the mother to the baby. More often this happens during childbirth when the membranes rupture;
descending, in which the infection reaches the fetus through the fallopian tubes. This happens with oophoritis or adnexitis.

Symptoms of intrauterine infection in a newborn and during pregnancy

When the fetus is affected by VUI, miscarriages and frozen pregnancies often occur, and the child may be stillborn or die during childbirth. A fetus that survives may have the following abnormalities:

The presence of intrauterine infection can be determined by tests. Even a smear taken in the chair can show some picture of the presence of infections, however, they do not always lead to intrauterine infection of the fetus.

When an intrauterine infection affects a child shortly before birth, it can manifest itself in diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, enterocolitis or another disease.

Treatment of intrauterine infections

It must be said that not all intrauterine infections can be treated. Sometimes it is impossible to cure them. For such therapy it is first necessary establish the condition of mother and child and only then prescribe appropriate treatment. Treatment with antibiotics is indicated only in particularly dangerous cases. It is also selected depending on the causative agent of the infection. Sometimes it is enough to prescribe immunoglobulins to a woman to maintain the immune system and increase immune resistance to the pathogen.

In some cases, vaccination is done during pregnancy. For example, they can provide a vaccine against herpes. In addition, the duration of pregnancy also influences the treatment methods.

And, it should be noted that the best thing an expectant mother can do is this will prevent the development of intrauterine infection, which will help avoid further problems and pathologies. THEREFORE, it is best to take preventive measures regarding this. Preventive measures include, first of all, pregnancy planning.

In addition, already during pregnancy, a woman needs to carefully monitor her hygiene, wash her hands, vegetables and fruits, and hygiene is also needed in relationships with her sexual partner.

Proper nutrition strengthens the body's defenses and has a beneficial effect on a woman's health, which means it is also a good preventive measure against all kinds of infectious diseases.

How can you get an intrauterine infection?

A newborn can become infected in several ways- this is through the circulatory system connecting the mother with him or passing through the birth canal.

How the infection gets to the fetus depends on what is causing it. If a pregnant woman becomes infected with a sexually transmitted infection from her partner, the virus can reach the baby through the vagina and fallopian tubes. In addition, the fetus can become infected through the woman's circulatory system or through amniotic fluid. This is possible when infected with diseases such as rubella, endometritis, placentitis.

These infections can be transmitted both from a sexual partner, and through contact with a sick person, and even through drinking raw water or poorly processed food.

Danger of IUI during pregnancy.

The effect of the disease on the body and its degree depends on how far along the woman is. When a pregnant woman falls ill before twelve weeks, it can lead to miscarriage or fetal malformations.

If the fetus is infected between the twelfth and twenty-eighth weeks, this can cause intrauterine growth retardation, resulting in a low birth weight in the newborn.

It follows from this that the future mother needs to carefully prepare for pregnancy, undergo all necessary examinations and cure existing hidden diseases. And for some of them, preventive measures can be taken. For example, get vaccinated. Well, carefully monitor your health so that the baby is born strong.

Intrauterine infection is a viral, bacterial, fungal infection of the embryo, fetus or newborn during gestation or childbirth. Depending on the type and severity of infection, this condition can lead to severe mental and physical developmental defects, hypoxia, death of the unborn child and, as a consequence, premature birth.

Causes of intrauterine fetal infection

The pathological process can be caused by the following microorganisms:

bacteria (damage to staphylococcus, streptococcus, tetanus, diphtheria bacillus);

viruses (rubella, chickenpox, influenza, cytomegalovirus, herpes);

fungi (for example, the genus Candida);

less often – protozoa (Toxoplasma).

All these microorganisms can disrupt the normal development of the unborn baby during the period of acute or chronic illness of the mother, by:

transplacental penetration (herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis);

ascending infection (STD, chlamydia, vaginal candidiasis);

descending infection (any inflammatory diseases of the ovaries and fallopian tubes);

direct contact (HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, C).

Symptoms of intrauterine infection

Intrauterine infection is always a consequence of a mother's disease, which can be pronounced or hidden. For example, a fetus can receive a small amount of rubella virus even if the mother is not sick but has been in contact with someone who is sick.

The same picture is typical for an embryo affected by toxoplasma - the mother is only a carrier of the protozoan, which at the initial stage of the disease is very dangerous for the unborn child. In this case, there is a threat of intrauterine infection in the newborn.

Congenital infection can be indicated either by individual facts or by their combination:

during pregnancy up to 12 weeks: threat of miscarriage, uterine hypertonicity, miscarriage, embryo freezing, diagnosis of pathologies based on ultrasound results (malformations of the neural tube);

during gestation from 13-40 weeks: uterine hypertonicity, fetal death, threat of premature birth, diagnosis of pathologies based on ultrasound results (heart defects, myocarditis, brain malformations, congenital pyelonephritis and pneumonia, the level of development of internal organs does not correspond to the gestational age).

In some cases, a child may be born on time and be considered healthy, however, after some time he may show signs of intrauterine infection - sepsis, osteomyelitis, progressive cataracts, hepatitis.

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This is due to the possibility of transmission of microorganisms during childbirth or the so-called delayed pathology, the cause of which lies in infection during gestation.

How does intrauterine infection affect preterm birth?

Premature birth - delivery that began between 22 and 37 completed weeks of pregnancy; such a process can be early (22-27 weeks), middle (23-33 weeks) and late (33-37 weeks). The presence of an infection in the fetus can provoke this pathology for 2 reasons:

any deviations in the development of the unborn child are a process that contradicts the basic law of nature about the survival of the fittest. A woman’s body often reacts violently to abnormalities in the unborn child caused by intrauterine infection, and therefore tries in every possible way to get rid of the defective fetus, and in this case a premature baby may be born;

if the unborn child is infected due to the fact that the pregnant woman has suffered an acute or chronic form of a sexually transmitted disease (syphilis, gonorrhea), premature birth can cause a violation of the muscle tone of the uterus or loss of elasticity

Diagnosis and treatment

Intrauterine infection of a child can only be assumed based on a combination of the following indicators:

data on specific diseases suffered by a pregnant woman at a certain stage of pregnancy;

results of laboratory tests of maternal physiological fluids, including amniotic fluid and blood tests for TORCH infections (detection of rubella viruses, herpes, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma and spirochete pallidum - the causative agent of syphilis);

ultrasound examination data that indicate pathologies of fetal development;

results of examination of parts of the umbilical cord and placenta, as well as the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of the child (if the newborn is infected by contact).

Therapeutic tactics for various intrauterine infections are different and depend on the period of gestation, the condition of the woman, the condition of the fetus, the nature and severity of the disease.