Measles in pregnancy
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. Measles is relatively rare during pregnancy, as many women have had measles before and have developed lifelong immunity. Or they have a vaccination that you can catch up on up to three months before the pregnancy.
infection with measles
The measles virus is a highly contagious pathogen that occurs primarily in children and adolescents. Measles is transmitted by droplet infection and the first symptoms become noticeable after about 14 to 16 days. Once you get measles, you have lifelong immunity to the virus. But you can still get vaccinated against the virus as an adult and you will be protected afterwards.
symptoms of measles
The first symptoms resemble those of influenza with headache, runny nose, bronchitis and fever. Typical signs of the disease are small white spots on the oral mucosa (usually on the inside of the cheeks) and a reddish rash that starts on the head and can spread over the entire body.
Complications of measles in pregnancy
Measles infection during pregnancy is not as serious as rubella , for example, but it still increases the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. The reason for this can be an infestation of the placenta, through which the child may also be infected with the virus. The mortality rate in affected infants is therefore higher than in healthy babies.
Due to the weakened immune system, the mother has more secondary diseases than other measles patients. In addition to the viral disease, diarrhoea, lung, heart muscle or middle ear infections can occur. To be on the safe side, you should take precautions in good time.
Prevent and treat measles in pregnancy
Relatively few women get measles during pregnancy because they are protected from the virus by a previous infection or by being vaccinated against measles. You can find out whether your body is armed against the measles virus with a simple blood test from your doctor. If the corresponding antibodies cannot be detected, you should catch up on the vaccination, if possible, up to three months before the start of the pregnancy. A live vaccine is used, i.e. a weakened amount of the pathogen is injected into you. Your immune system changes during pregnancy and the live vaccine poses a risk for you and your baby. Vaccination is therefore not recommended if the pregnancy is already known or is specifically planned.
Especially without appropriate vaccination protection, you should refrain from visiting the sick of infected people. If you have had contact with someone who has measles, the pathogen can be combated by immediate passive vaccination. You will be administered immunoglobulin, i.e. an extra portion of suitable antibodies that act against the viruses.
Unfortunately, you can only treat the symptoms, not the virus itself. Treatment with antibiotics only makes sense if a severe bacterial infection has developed that needs to be treated.