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Affect on Baby and Safe Treatments

If you’ve ever had cold sores — those annoying, painful, tiny, fluid-filled blisters that usually form around your mouth and on your lips — you know how inconvenient they can be.

But also if you’ve ever had cold sores (and therefore already have the virus that causes them), did you know they can recur, especially when you’re under stress or are undergoing hormonal fluctuations?

Stress and hormonal changes. That sounds an awful lot like pregnancy.

Cold sores in pregnancy aren’t unheard of, and they don’t usually have any impact on your growing baby. So first, let out a deep sigh of relief. Next, read on — because there are still important things to know about cold sores if you’re expecting.

Cold sores are caused by a virus — the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Of the two types of HSV, cold sores are generally caused by HSV-1, whereas genital herpes is usually a result of exposure to HSV-2. There have been a few instances where HSV-1 sores have been found in the genitals and vice versa.

Once you’ve had a cold sore (oral herpes), the virus remains in your system for life — it’s just not active unless you have a current outbreak.

But when we say that stress and hormones can cause the virus to reactivate, it’s important to know that stress and hormones don’t cause the virus in the first place.

If you’ve never had HSV, you can only get it through contact with someone who has. When it comes to a first-time cold sore infection, this can happen via activities like:

• kissing
• sharing food or utensils
• using someone else’s ChapStick or lip gloss
• oral sex

Here’s the really good news: If you already have the virus that causes cold sores, and you have an outbreak of oral herpes during pregnancy, it’s most likely not going to have any impact on your growing baby.

Cold sores are a localized infection, usually around the mouth area. They don’t typically cross the placenta and reach your baby.

The highest risk scenario is if you get HSV for the first time during your third trimester of pregnancy.

When you get the virus for the first time, your body hasn’t developed any protective antibodies to it yet. And while HSV-1 is usually associated with oral herpes, it can cause a genital herpes outbreak, which can be dangerous to your baby — especially as they pass through the birth canal.

Birth-acquired herpes is serious. However, it’s a concern with genital rather than oral herpes. That being said, because the same virus can cause both, it’s important to talk to your OB about any cold sores during pregnancy.

The most common treatment for cold sores is docosanol (Abreva), an over-the-counter topical cream. But the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t evaluated it for safety in pregnancy.

While some research has determined that it’s “likely safe” during pregnancy, at least one pharmaceutical company that manufactures the drug warns against using it unless it’s definitely needed — which really means you need to check with your doctor. There may be other treatments you should try first.

If you’ve had herpes in the past, your doctor may recommend antivirals — like acyclovir or valacyclovir — starting at week 36 and continuing until delivery of your baby, even if you don’t have a current outbreak of lesions around the genital area. This helps prevent reactivation and spread of the virus to the genital area.

This precaution is because you shouldn’t expose your baby to herpes in the vaginal area during delivery.

Alternatively, your doctor may suggest a cesarean delivery, which avoids the birth canal altogether — something that’s especially important if you have a current outbreak of genital herpes.

Cold sores are highly contagious, despite the fact that they won’t affect your baby in the womb. If you have them after your baby is born, avoid kissing those adorable little cheeks or touching any sores and then touching your newborn without first washing your hands with soap.

In the extremely rare event that you have cold sores on either breast, avoid breastfeeding from that breast while you’re still contagious.

Your cold sores are contagious until they crust over, at which point they’ll start to heal.

If you do pass a cold sore infection on to your newborn, it’s known as neonatal herpes. While not as serious as the birth-acquired version, it can still cause serious complications in a baby who hasn’t yet developed a robust immune system.

The cold sore on your mouth is likely to be more of an annoyance to you than a serious risk to your developing baby, particularly in your first two trimesters of pregnancy and especially if you’ve had one before. But you should still let your OB know about it.

The virus that causes cold sores — usually HSV-1 — can also cause genital herpes, which is more of a risk to your pregnancy and growing little one.

If you have an outbreak in your third trimester — or if you acquire the virus for the first time in your third trimester — your doctor may want you to follow certain treatment or precautionary guidelines, like antivirals or a cesarean delivery.

Fever during pregnancy: causes, risks, treatments

During pregnancy, the level of hormones in a woman's body increases, as a result of which the temperature rises slightly in the early stages, and this is normal. High body temperature during pregnancy can be dangerous complications, and in the early stages it increases the risk of developing neural tube defects in a child.

Natalya Chebakova

legion-media

Various viral and bacterial infections, from which even a pregnant woman is not immune, can cause body temperature to rise above 38 degrees. This condition is considered dangerous. Studies have proven the association of fever with the risk of developing anomalies in a child.

Contents of the article

Do not self-medicate! In our articles, we collect the latest scientific data and the opinions of authoritative health experts. But remember: only a doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment.

What can cause fever during pregnancy?

In fact, during pregnancy, a woman is more susceptible to all diseases due to a suppressed immune system. Fever can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection, such as a cold or flu, food poisoning, or a urinary tract infection.

A temperature above 38 degrees Celsius is considered a fever.

Can fever during pregnancy harm the baby?

25% of pregnant women have a fever at least once during pregnancy, and the vast majority of them have healthy children.

If the temperature does not rise above 38.3 degrees and does not last long, it is the least of concern. High body temperature that persists for a long time can have serious consequences for the child.

This aspect is still being studied. Previously conducted studies have shown that the fever during pregnancy can cause:

• Nervous tube defects (DNT)
• miscarriage
• Congenital heart defects
• Defects in the abdominal wall
• Penettlete

risks are higher when the risk becomes higher when it becomes higher is not treated.

However, not all studies confirm the negative impact of fever on child development. Thus, in Denmark, observations of more than 77,000 pregnant women and their children born between 1996 to 2002 showed no association between maternal fever during pregnancy and the risk of birth defects.

Is high fever dangerous in early pregnancy?

Fever in very early pregnancy can be more dangerous as fetal structures are just forming. The risk of developing neural tube defects in a child, such as anencephaly, encephalocele, craniocerebral hernia and spinal hernia, increases. This is because the neural tube that forms the baby's spinal cord develops during the first six weeks of pregnancy.

Once the neural tube closes at the beginning of the sixth week, the baby is no longer susceptible to fever-induced NTDs.

Experts say you can reduce your risk of developing neural tube defects, even when you have a fever, by taking prenatal vitamins with at least 400 mcg of folic acid.

Folic acid is a scientifically developed water-soluble analogue of vitamin B9, essential for the proper development of the human circulatory and immune systems.

Fetal NTD screening is done in the second trimester of pregnancy using blood tests and ultrasound.

Can fever be a sign of pregnancy?

Many women experience a slight increase in body temperature along with an increase in progesterone levels in early pregnancy.

The temperature rise is a small, normal spike that stays well below the fever threshold of 38 degrees. Fever cannot be a sign of pregnancy.

Does fever during pregnancy increase the risk of autism, ADHD or developmental delay?

Scientists have not yet fully studied the answer to this question. However, there have been some studies linking fever during pregnancy with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental delay.

Important to know! Retrospective studies, when subjects are asked to report symptoms in the distant past, appear to be less reliable than prospective studies that collect information in real time.

1. One retrospective study analyzed data from more than 500 children with ASD and more than 160 children with ADHD and found an association between maternal fever and both conditions.

It was also found that the risk of ASD was lower among mothers who took medication to reduce fever.

2. A prospective Norwegian study of more than 114,000 children found an association between intrauterine fever and an increased risk of ASD, especially (but not exclusively) in the second trimester.

These investigators concluded that the risk increased markedly with the frequency of fever (three or more episodes), especially after 12 weeks of gestation.

Data from the same study showed that maternal fever in early pregnancy may be a risk factor for ADHD and especially inattention problems.

3. A large, multicenter, retrospective study of children with ASD and developmental delay born in the United States between 2003 and 2006 showed that women who had an infection accompanied by fever in the second trimester of pregnancy were more likely to have children with ASD.

4. A prospective study of the motor development of children whose mothers had a fever during pregnancy found a significant association between maternal fever during pregnancy and dyspraxia in 7-year-old children (clumsiness, poor coordination, clumsiness of hand movements, inaccuracy of articulation, difficulties in writing).

Although the results of these studies may be worrying, the absolute risk of developing these disorders is quite low.

Medicines for fever during pregnancy

In order to reduce the temperature during pregnancy, you need to see a doctor. Only a doctor can prescribe a drug that is safe for the expectant mother and child.

In addition, the drug should be taken in strictly recommended dosages. Taking too much medication can be harmful to a woman's liver and her baby's liver.

Other treatments for fever during pregnancy

In addition to taking medication, there are some things that can help bring down the temperature:

• Lie down in a comfortable position with a cool, damp towel over your forehead.
• Take a warm bath. It is important to avoid using cold water, as it can cause chills, leading to a temperature spike. Warm water will do - the fever will subside when the water evaporates from the skin.

Rubbing with rubbing alcohol or vinegar does not bring down the fever, but can lead to too rapid cooling, and later to a higher temperature jump.

• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
• Ventilate the room where a pregnant woman is.

When should I call a doctor?

Call a doctor or an ambulance if:

1. fever lasts more than two days during pregnancy;
2. chest pain or shortness of breath;
3. cough lasts more than 7 days;
4. have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea;
5. back pain, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting.

How to protect yourself from infection?

Preventive measures such as frequent handwashing, avoiding contact with people who are sick, and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations can help minimize the chance of contracting infections that cause fever.

To avoid intestinal infections, it is important to thoroughly wash food before eating, and do not eat undercooked meat and eggs.

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Did you have a fever during pregnancy?

Threatening conditions during pregnancy ⚕️ Article Med-Atlant

Pregnancy is a wonderful and amazing period in a woman's life. With its physiological course, the pregnant woman has the opportunity to enjoy every day of nine wonderful months. However, pregnancy does not always proceed normally, sometimes pregnant women experience conditions that are threatening for her and for her child. Every pregnant woman should be aware of these symptoms and, if they occur, seek immediate medical attention.

Bloody discharge. Normally there should be no bloody discharge from the vagina at all. Threatening are any: from minor spotting to heavy bleeding. They may indicate the onset of a spontaneous miscarriage or premature birth, premature detachment of the placenta (a condition that threatens both the fetus and the woman and may require an immediate caesarean section).

Change in the nature of discharge. In addition to bloody, watery discharge from the vagina up to 37 weeks of gestation is also dangerous, which may indicate premature discharge of amniotic fluid. In this case, hospitalization is necessary for a complex of diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Only a doctor with the help of special tests can distinguish amniotic fluid from urine, mucous plug or inflammatory discharge. The latter are also dangerous and require treatment, in particular, greenish, yellowish, cheese-like, odorous discharge, accompanied by discomfort, itching. They may indicate the presence of an infection that threatens the infection of the fetus or premature birth.

High fever in pregnant women. In the normal course of pregnancy, due to changes in the hormonal background of a woman, the temperature may rise to 37.3-37.5 ° C, but not always. If the temperature rises above 37.5 ° C, medical attention should be sought. Given the Covid 19 pandemic, any increase in temperature and deterioration in general condition should be reported to your OB/GYN and family doctor. A high temperature may also indicate other diseases dangerous for pregnant women, such as influenza, respiratory viral infections, inflammation of the kidneys, ENT organs, appendicitis, etc.

Change in the nature of fetal movements. As you know, during the first pregnancy, a woman begins to feel the movement of the baby from 20-21 weeks, with a second pregnancy - even from 16-17 weeks. Until the 28th week, it is important to have the movements of the child during the day, later the woman should feel more than 10 sets of movements per day and count them. To do this, every pregnant woman must complete the so-called "fetal movement test", which allows her to suspect and respond in time to the deterioration of the baby's condition. If there are doubts about the movements, if the woman has less than 10 sets of movements within 12 hours, or, conversely, the movements are too active and painful, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Dangerous during pregnancy are also excessive vomiting, diarrhea, pain when urinating, sudden significant swelling of the hands, feet, face, headache, especially in combination with high blood pressure, blurred vision, convulsive twitching of the limbs.

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