Dangerous Maternal Infections

Many people are unaware that there are a number of infections that a pregnant woman can develop that can cause serious health issues and birth injuries. When a woman is pregnant, there immune system is weakened, leaving them susceptible to infections that they could normally fight off. When a doctor of midwife fails to diagnose these infections, they put both mother and baby at serious risk.

Below are some of the more common and dangerous infections that can cause birth injuries. For more information if you and your baby have been a victim of medical negligence, contact a birth injury attorney.

Chorioamnionitis

Chorioamnionitis is infections of the amniotic fluid and fetal membranes. It can be caused by E.Coli or Group B Strep bacteria that travel to the uterus. Another risk of chorioamnionitis is if there is premature rupture of the membranes. There are dire risk to the baby, including premature delivery and permanent brain damage.

Group B Strep

This is a common bacteria that approximately 25 percent of pregnant women carry. If a woman who is not pregnant develop a GBS infection, it is usually treated a minor health issue, however, if a pregnant woman develops GBS, it can mean a life or death issues for the baby. The infection can permeate the amniotic fluid or fetal membrane, including chorioamnionitis. The infection can be transferred to the baby during the pregnancy or during the delivery. It is the most common cause of meningitis, pneumonia and other dangerous infections in newborns.

Hepatitis B

This infection has a major impact on the liver and can be transmitted from the other to the infant during pregnancy and delivery. Newborns who are born with Hepatitis B are at a significant risk of cancer and liver damage. This is why it is critical for doctors to perform testing for Hepatitis B early in the pregnancy.

Listeriosis

If raw or uncooked meat is eaten, there is a risk of contracting listeria. If listeriosis is contracted in the third trimester of the pregnancy, the mother can develop fever, nausea, and other flu-like symptoms. The bacteria can infect the fetal membrane, causing a miscarriage, stillbirth, or the infant being born with severe infections.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause severe injury or death to newborns. The disease can either be transmitted to the baby during pregnancy or can be transmitted during delivery by open sores in the birth canal. A newborn who contracts syphilis either during gestation or delivery can be left with vision or hearing loss, and brain damage. There is also a very high risk of neonatal death or stillbirth. Because syphilis can lie dormant for years in the mother’s system, she may not even be aware that she has contracted the disease. This is why it is critical that medical providers always test for syphilis when a woman is first diagnoses as pregnant.

Contact a Birth Injury Attorney Today

If your baby suffered birth trauma and you suspect negligent medical care was the cause, contact a birth injury lawyer in Phoenix, AZ today. They will schedule a case evaluation and determine what kind of financial compensation your family may be entitled to.

Thanks to Rispoli Law, PLLC for their insight into personal injury claims and dangerous maternal infections that can lead to birth injuries.