Infectious Diseases During Pregnancy

This book is a complete guide to the diagnosis and management of any infectious disease which may affect the mother or the fetus during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a unique condition in which the interplay of endocrine and immune influences leads to altered severity and susceptibility to infectious diseases. These infections, in turn, are a substantial cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity. The book discusses the immunologic, clinical and epidemiologic evidence for altered responses during pregnancy. Several infections have unique consequences in pregnancy. Some infections have vertical transmission, and their management focuses on decreasing perinatal transmission. Others can be transmitted transplacentally and cause congenital infection. While still, other common infections like gastroenteritis, UTI, tuberculosis, leprosy or certain dermatological and oral conditions can cause pregnancy complications. This book discusses all such diseases in detail as well as suggests means for early identification and appropriate treatment for them. A separate chapter adequately covers the novel coronavirus infection associated with management challenges in pregnant women. The book includes dedicated sections on postpartum infections and fetal outcomes associated with maternal infections. It reviews strategies to prevent infection in obstetrics that plays a key role in decreasing the global burden of maternal morbidity and mortality. The book is relevant for practicing obstetricians and gynecologists, post-graduate students of obstetrics and gynecology as well as general practitioners, family medicine specialists, primary health care workers and undergraduate medical students.

Provides effective diagnosis and management of infectious diseases in pregnant women in a single comprehensive available resource for busy clinicians.

The pregnant host is at risk for any of the viral diseases her nonpregnant counterpart acquires. Additionally, pregnancy heightens our concerns regarding specific viral diseases be cause of their potential for enhanced adverse effects on both maternal and fetal well-being. All too often the obstetrician relinquishes responsibility for the management of the gravida infected by a viral pathogen, and those expert in infectious diseases are confounded by the influence of pregnancy on these conditions. A major goal of this textbook is to narrow the gap between the two aforementioned management dichotomies in the virally infected pregnant woman. Weare at the infancy of our understanding of viral infections in pregnancy. The current and anticipated advancements are due in large part to a burgeoning oftechnological achievements in the areas of immunodiagnostics, molecular biology, and pharmacotherapeutics. Our in utero diagnostic capabilities, both invasive and noninvasive, have also allowed us new opportunities to study the effects of various maternal infectious disease processes on the developing fetus. New insights have been recognized pertaining to the maternal-fetal interface, the placenta, in that this structure is now acknowledged to function as both a mechanical and an immunological barrier to vertical transmission of infection. These observations suggest that there will be an outpouring of new data in the next several years that clinicians will need to master to maintain an appropriate level of expertise in the care of their patients.

This full-colour book provides midwives with highly practical, readily accessible information on the wide range of infections affecting pregnancy and childbirth. It comprehensively outlines the vital role of the midwife in infection, including prevention, identification of high-risk individuals, educational opportunities, signs and symptoms, sample

The pregnant host is at risk for any of the viral diseases her nonpregnant counterpart acquires. Additionally, pregnancy heightens our concerns regarding specific viral diseases be cause of their potential for enhanced adverse effects on both maternal and fetal well-being. All too often the obstetrician relinquishes responsibility for the management of the gravida infected by a viral pathogen, and those expert in infectious diseases are confounded by the influence of pregnancy on these conditions. A major goal of this textbook is to narrow the gap between the two aforementioned management dichotomies in the virally infected pregnant woman. Weare at the infancy of our understanding of viral infections in pregnancy. The current and anticipated advancements are due in large part to a burgeoning oftechnological achievements in the areas of immunodiagnostics, molecular biology, and pharmacotherapeutics. Our in utero diagnostic capabilities, both invasive and noninvasive, have also allowed us new opportunities to study the effects of various maternal infectious disease processes on the developing fetus. New insights have been recognized pertaining to the maternal-fetal interface, the placenta, in that this structure is now acknowledged to function as both a mechanical and an immunological barrier to vertical transmission of infection. These observations suggest that there will be an outpouring of new data in the next several years that clinicians will need to master to maintain an appropriate level of expertise in the care of their patients.