Scarlet Fever During Pregnancy
Contents:
- Scarlet Fever in Pregnancy
- Ways to Suspect the Scarlet Fever
- The Routes of Scarlet Fever Infection
- The Influence of Scarlet Fever on Pregnancy, Hazard for Both a Woman and a Fetus
- Ways and Means of Treatment
Scarlet Fever in Pregnancy
Feeling sick during pregnancy is not good and welcomed. Especially when it comes to serious diseases as compared with common chill or allergic reaction to citrus fruits. We will discuss the scarlet fever in this article classified as a pediatric disease. It is the acute infectious disease provoked by the beta-haemolytic streptococcus of Group А. Pre-school and school aged childre are more often exposed to this infection, though sometimes pregnant women are affected, either. And therefore the extent to which the scarlet fever may be risky for the pregnant and her child-to-be is urgent.
Ways to Suspect the Scarlet Fever
Ther are certain symtoms to suspect this disease in a woman. First, the punctate rash develops on the 1st or 2nd day of the disease. Tiny pimples, when pressed with a finger, disappear and appear again. Most rash is localized in the face. Since the nasolabial triangle is free from rash, it looks too pale. One more sign to suspect the fever is the rash concentration in natural fold sites, that is, in skin folds. It appears as dark red stripes. On about the 4th or 5th day the rash fades and disappears and the skin is left peeled.
A bright-red (almost of crimson color) tongue is another sign of disease. In addition to the color, the tongue looks granular. The considerable increase in the body temperature with fever is seen in some cases. As a rule, the high temperature reaches to 38-40 degrees. The general body intoxication is reported. In almost all cases, the scarlet fever is followed by tonsillitis since tonsils (pharynx) are affected. On the top of it, cervical lymph nodes may get enlarged.
Most often, the scarlet fever in pregnant women is followed by the intensive vomiting. This disease is suspected to result in various complications among which is the otopyosis, or running ear. Another aftertrouble that develops quite often is the necrotic and glandular abscess. Infectious and allergic complications may not be excluded, yet. Rheumatic disease may develop. This disease contributes to some disorders in the cardiovascular system function either: the blood pressure increases and tachyrhythmia (heartthrob) may develop.
Only a woman with the specific immunity to this infection is not at risk of the disease when pregnant. In other words, a woman is immune resistant to it, should they had developed this disease earlier.
The Routes of Scarlet Fever Infection
It is found out that the scarlet fever is most often reported in regions of moderate and cold climate. For residents of these regions, it’s too easy to catch this disease. It is is airborne transmitted (by sneezing, coughing, shouting, kisses, hugs, etc.) and handling household items (toys, kitchen utensil, linen) of the infected. Yet, there is an alimentary route of infection when people are infected by food. A sick person is the source of infection, whether it is a child, or an adult. At the same time, almost no methods are found to prevent this infection.
First days of disease are the most risky for the people in the vicinity of the infected. The sick person will be relatively safe for others upon three weeks of disease, on average. By the way, there is a good many carriers of Group A streptococcus, the microorganism that causes the scarlet fever, among us. As per the official data, about 15-20% of healthy population is found to be carriers as of today, and most of them have never suspected it. Herewith, they can spread the virus within several months to several years. However, a close and quite long-term contact with a carrier or a sick person results in infection.
The incubation period (the period for which the disease develops) is from one to eleven days. If a pregnant woman shows no symptoms within the period above upon the contact with the sick person, she is not infected.
Too sensitive and suspicious mothers-to-be should be warned that it’s no good of worrying about that. It’s proved that the natural susceptibility to this infection is quite high in humans. There is something to note, either: as a person has undergone the disease, the type-specific immunity develops by the body. This means that this person will never have a scarlet fever again.
The Influence of Scarlet Fever on Pregnancy, Hazard for Both a Woman and a Fetus
The experts state that, in most cases, this disease runs easily. If so, it is of no special risk for the health of the mother-to-be and her baby. But it is not to say that there is no need to seek the medical help. At all times, the professional healthcare specialist should monitor the disease to define the further treatment regimen and safe pregnancy.
If the disease is acute, or targeted, it is of no good. First, antibiotics are required which is adversely affect the pregnancy. In addition, in the first trimester of pregnancy, when absolutely all vital organs and systems form, antibiotic therapy is strictly prohibited. The medications may cause disturbances in the development of your child-to-be health.
The scarlet fever is especially dangerous in your early pregnancy, i.e., in your first trimester, in particular. Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) is highly likely during this period. If infected at later stages, the treatment will be more promising. Administration of drugs by the second half of the second trimester will not be so injurious. Again, his is not to mean that you may let it all hang out: further examinations will be required upon recovery, in particular, the fetal ultrasound screening and clinical tests. The following is recognized as negative consequences of scarlet fever during pregnancy: premature birth, prenatal hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) of the fetus, various delivery complications, pneumonia (lung inflammation) in the newborn baby.
Ways and Means of Treatment
The scarlet fever management for pregnant women includes the bed rest for an average of a week and the smooth diet. Moreover, the doctor will recommend a lot of fluid to drink to easily and faster remove the toxins. To relief the throat, regular and frequent gargarism is recommended. To do that, nitrofural and natural antiseptics are used like chamomile tea, calendula tea, eucalyptus tea. If the disease is neglected for some time, a pregnant is prescribed with the ‘non-aggressive’ antibiotic. As a rule, penicillin-based antibiotics, erythromycin are used. If needed urgently, these are given to future mothers at the 12 months of pregnancy. General tonic and vitamins are recommended, either.