Sexually Transmitted Diseases

 
It is important that the mother discuss with her physician any suspected or confirmed STDs to ensure her pregnancy can be carried out in the safest fashion possible. The risk factors for acquiring an STD include having multiple sexual partners, already having one STD, and using drugs intravenously.

Hepatitis B affects the liver and can be transmitted through blood, saliva, vaginal or penile secretions. About 20% of babies born to infected mothers catch this disease and will develop chronic hepatitis. Vaccinated mothers with the Hep B immune globulin can protect their babies from receiving the infection. However, this protection cannot be transferred unless the mother has been vaccinated against the virus, therefore it is not uncommon to test and vaccinate pregnant women for hepatitis B.

Even though genital herpes is an STD commonly occurring in 20% of women, the transmission of herpes infections to newborn babies is quite rare. It occurs in about 1/2500 to 1/10000 births. Usually, a cesarean section is recommended for women with active herpes outbreaks at the time of labor.

If a woman infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) becomes pregnant, she has about a 30% chance of infecting her baby with the virus. This rate is drastically diminished through the use of the antiviral drug zidovudine. The drug is given to pregnant mothers and to the infant for six weeks after birth, reducing transmission rates to 8 percent. There is a small risk of transmitting HIV through breastfeeding, however if it is difficult to purchase formula or find clean water, the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding since its benefits far outweigh the minimal risk of HIV transmission.

Women with gonorrhea are more apt to deliver premature babies. If untreated, the disease can cause serious infections in the mother's uterus. If a mother with untreated gonorrhea gives birth, the baby is at risk of developing a serious eye infection that can cause blindness if left untreated. Thus, routine treatment eye drops or ointments have been used in the baby's eyes shortly after birth to successfully prevent eye infections and blindness from gonorrhea.

Chlamydia is suspected to cause premature membrane rupture and premature birth in pregnant women. The bacteria can also be dangerous to newborns, with 20-50% developing an eye infection if untreated. Mothers with Chlamydia or those who think they have it should be tested. Antibiotic treatments can considerably diminish the risk to the fetus.

Syphillis can be transmitted via the placenta from an infected mother to her baby. In the United States and Canada, it is the law to be tested for syphilis at the first prenatal visit. If a mother has untreated syphilis, it is almost 100% certain that the baby will catch syphilis before birth. Approximately 20-40% of these babies die before being born and if born, they may suffer from permanent liver, lung and heart damage. A mother can be cured completely through a penicillin treatment and early treatment means the baby is likely to be healthy as well.

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