Infections and Pregnancy—Fetal Health and Development

A normal pregnancy lasts nine months. Each three-month period of pregnancy is called a trimester. During each trimester, the fetus grows and develops. Regular medical checkups and prenatal tests are very important. They can

• Help keep you and your baby healthy
• Spot problems with your baby (if there are any). In some cases, health care professionals can treat the problem before your baby is born. But even when they cannot, it can still be helpful to know about the problem early on. That gives you time to learn about your baby’s condition and prepare for any challenges you may face after the baby is born.
• Prevent problems during delivery. For example, if your baby is breech (bottom first or feet first, instead of head first), you may need to have a Cesarean section to avoid complications.

Besides getting medical care, there are other things you can do to keep your baby as healthy as possible. It’s important not to drink or smoke. Try to eat a healthy diet and make sure to take care of any health problems you have during pregnancy.

• Fetal development (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Intrauterine growth restriction (Medical Encyclopedia)

If you are pregnant, an infection can be more than just a problem for you. Some infections can be dangerous to your baby. You can help yourself avoid infections:

• Don’t eat raw or undercooked meat
• Don’t share food or drinks with other people
• Wash your hands frequently
• Don’t empty cat litter. Cats can transmit toxoplasmosis.

You may need to take medicines or get a vaccine to prevent an infection in your baby. For example, you may need to take antibiotics if you develop an infection with group B strep, or take medicines if you have genital herpes. Only some medicines and vaccines are safe during pregnancy. Ask your health care provider about how best to protect you and your baby.

• Group B streptococcal septicemia of the newborn (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Group B streptococcus – pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Immunization and Pregnancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Pregnancy and the flu (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Pregnant Women Need a Flu Shot (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Protect Your Baby for Life: When a Pregnant Woman Has Hepatitis B (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Toxoplasmosis: An Important Message for Women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF