At your first prenatal visit, the nurse will take what feels like quarts of blood. These samples are used to test for a variety of things. Some of the tests are for some common sexually transmitted diseases. There is good reason for these tests. There can be serious risks to both the mother and baby when the mother contracts an STD during pregnancy.
The Center for Disease Control offers the following statistics on yearly statistics for sexually transmitted diseases in pregnancy:
* Bacterial Vaginosis 800,000
* Herpes Simplex 800,000
* Chlamydia 200,000
* Trichomoniasis 80,000
* Gonorrhea 40,000
* Hepatitis B 40,000
* HIV 8,000
* Syphillis 8,000
As you can see, there is a big difference in the instances of these diseases. Some are much more common in pregnancy, such as herpes and bacterial vaginosis. Others are much less common, such as HIV and syphilis.
The effect on the pregnancy depends on the STD in question. Some are more dangerous to the mom and baby than others. All STD can have serious consequences for the pregnancy, if prompt treatment isn’t sought.
Some STDs can be passed to the baby during the birth. As the baby moves through the birth canal, he comes in contact with the infection and can be infected. Chlamydia, hepatitis, herpes and gonorrhea can all be passed to the baby during the birth. Others, such as HIV and syphilis, can be passed to the baby while he is still in the womb.
There are many dangers to the baby, both during the pregnancy and after the birth. During pregnancy, STDs can cause uterine infection, preterm labor, still birth and premature rupture of the membranes (PROM). The baby can be affected after the birth as well. Neurological damage, sepsis, blindness, liver problems, meningitis and pneumonia can result from exposure to STDs in the womb or during the birth.
The problem with some of these diseases is that there aren’t always definitive symptoms. This doesn’t mean that damage is not being done, only that it is not being detected. When the STD is treated quickly, this can mitigate the risk to the baby. For this reason, doctors test for some of the more common diseases at the first prenatal check up.
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What to Expect at Your First Prenatal Visit
Communicating With Your Doctor