Infections and Pregnancy—Hepatitis

Also called: Viral hepatitis

Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver.

Viruses cause most cases of hepatitis. The type of hepatitis is named for the virus that causes it; for example, hepatitis A, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Drug or alcohol use can also cause hepatitis. In other cases, your body mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the liver.

Some people who have hepatitis have no symptoms. Others may have

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dark-colored urine and pale bowel movements
• Stomach pain
• Jaundice, yellowing of skin and eyes

Some forms of hepatitis are mild, and others can be serious. Some can lead to scarring, called cirrhosis, or to liver cancer.

Sometimes hepatitis goes away by itself. If it does not, it can be treated with drugs. Sometimes hepatitis lasts a lifetime. Vaccines can help prevent some viral forms.

• Autoimmune hepatitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Drug-induced hepatitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Hepatitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Viral Hepatitis: A through E and Beyond – NIH (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) – PDF

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