Many germs are dangerous to you or your baby during pregnancy. The risks are minimal, but still there.
You look anxiously at the pregnancy test you just used. You await the answer with great impatience… that's it, you're pregnant! Your life has just changed! You are going to be a mom! After the joy and the euphoria come the more worrying questions: what if my child was not normal? If he had any malformations, illness, etc. Without going into a panic, we must be aware of the potential risks of our environment on our baby.
Of course, we immediately think of tobacco, alcohol, certain drugs and different chemicals that can be harmful to our baby or you think of genetic diseases. But have you thought about the multiple germs that can change your life forever? Yes, several germs are dangerous for you or your baby during pregnancy. The risks are minimal, but still there.
Risk Factors
- You work in the presence of children (educators, teachers, daycare manager, nurse, etc.)
- You have other children
- You don't care about hand washing
Certainly, severalwomen working with children are en titled to preventive leave, but not all women are en titled to it!
What are the different germs that can affect my baby during pregnancy?
Cytomegalovirus, measles virus, rubella virus, parvovirus, the chickenpox virus are the main germs in the dock. You can have a more detailed description of some of these infections in the childhood illness and vaccination section of the site.
What are the possible consequences of infection with these germs?
Increased risk of abortions or miscarriages, mild to severe congenital malformations, etc. On the other hand, the consequences can be very slight or even non-existent, but who wants to take the risk?
What weapons do we have?
- We can check if you are immune to these viruses using serology. With a simple blood draw and lab tests, your doctor can tell you which infections might be a problem for you.
- Vaccines: If you plan ahead and have these tests done before you become pregnant, there are certain vaccines you can receive before. However, there is no vaccine yet for cytomegalovirus and erythema infectiosum.
- Hygiene! Not all of these viruses are transmitted magically! They have to travel from person to person to cause youworries.
So what can I do to avoid getting these infections?
- If you have the right to take a preventive withdrawal, take it!
- Tell people around you about the risks you run and ask them to tell you if their children catch any of these infections, then you can stay away from them! So avoid sick people!
- Wash your hands! For example, cytomegalovirus is excreted in the urine of a large number of children under 36 months.
And the other germs?
There are also germs that can cause problems during childbirth, including strep. Since we learn about germs every day, it is not excluded that other germs are added to the list. The majority of germs that cause infections can make you sick even when pregnant! And you know that when you are pregnant the choice of medication to treat infections or the symptoms of a cold, for example, is very limited! In most cases, you will have to "endure" your discomfort. However, contracting gastroenteritis when you are pregnant is not very pleasant and can cause worrying contractions and bring you to the hospital for observation!
In conclusion, tell yourself that there are risks related to germs when you are pregnant (they are minimal, but real) and that the best way to prevent them is to plan with your doctor and work on thehand washing, such a banal gesture, but so protective! We can never say it enough, about 80% of infections are transmitted by the hands! In fact, when pregnant women are well informed about the hygiene measures to take, this greatly reduces the risks associated with these infections. So 1, 2, 3 at the sink!
References: Government of Canada - A Practical Guide to a He althy Pregnancy
