{"id":1645,"date":"2023-03-08T15:05:48","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T15:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/?p=1645"},"modified":"2023-03-08T15:05:48","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T15:05:48","slug":"std-pregnancy-how-does-it-affect-unborn-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/std-pregnancy-how-does-it-affect-unborn-child\/","title":{"rendered":"STD &amp; Pregnancy: How Does It Affect Unborn Child"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prenatal and obstetric care are essential cornerstones of a healthy pregnancy. All women who plan to become mothers should attend these medical sessions to learn about the fundamental processes of a healthy pregnancy and receive the necessary testing and screening to assess their overall health and the health of their potential pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Typically, the best practices specializing in <\/span><a href=\"\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">obstetrics and gynecology in South Miami, Florida<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, offer comprehensive screening and testing for pregnant or soon-to-be women. A vital aspect of these tests is the various screenings that providers perform for sexually transmitted infections, as they can potentially endanger the health of a pregnancy and may cause complications to fetal development and delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this article, we discuss the relationships between STD and pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>About Sexually Transmitted Infections\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">STIs, STDs, or sexually transmitted infections are diseases that spread through sexual contact with someone who has already contracted the infection. They spread through sexual contact involving the vagina, mouth, or anus. These diseases may include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Genital herpes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Chlamydia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hepatitis B.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gonorrhea<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Syphilis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Trichonomas Vaginalis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Genital warts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">HPV<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">HIV\/AIDS<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>STD and Pregnancy: How Does It Affect the Baby?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1647\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby.jpg\" alt=\"Pregnant Woman With Heart on Her Belly\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/STD-and-Pregnancy-How-Does-It-Affect-the-Baby.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When dealing with an STD while pregnant, the infection may pass on to the developing fetus and infect the baby during pregnancy or even after birth. Because of this, women must receive regular screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, especially during their first prenatal counseling session. And if you have intercourse with someone who is affected after your initial testing, you will need to undergo another series of tests. On that end, the best method to protect the baby from the adverse effects of STIs is treating them and avoiding unprotected sex altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Most Common STI Symptoms<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unfortunately, in some cases, sexually transmitted diseases have no apparent symptoms. Still, if they appear, they will typically include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Skin rashes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Swelling or redness near the vagina<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pain when urinating<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Warts, bumps, or sores, near the anus, mouth, or vagina<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Foul-smelling vaginal discharge<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Night sweats<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weight loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loose stools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jaundice or skin-yellowing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fever, chills, aches, and pains<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vaginal bleeding, even when not on your monthly period<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Painful sexual intercourse<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Itching and burning in the vaginal area<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Having an STD While Pregnant: The Effects<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As mentioned before, having an unaddressed STD while pregnant can affect your pregnancy, delivery, and developing fetus in several ways, depending on the infection.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Chlamydia<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, this STI seems not to affect pregnancy. Still, those infants who are exposed to the disease at birth may develop pneumonia or severe eye infections. To avoid this, mothers are typically prescribed antibiotics, while babies are given antibiotic eye ointment solutions after delivery to prevent infections.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Syphilis<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Having syphilis while pregnant can be defined as a high-risk pregnancy as it can lead to fatal infections in the developing fetus. This infection can be passed quickly from the mother to the fetus. More precisely, if left untreated, the fetus may be born prematurely or face several organ problems that may affect the ears, heart, eyes, bones, and skin, among others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Treatment will most often involve taking antibiotics during pregnancy to reduce the likelihood of transmitting the disease to the fetus.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Genital Herpes<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Typically, a herpes infection isn\u2019t considered something that should make for a high-risk pregnancy up until delivery. More precisely, active herpes lesions located in the genital area can be contagious, and the infant may get infected during delivery. Because of this, most women who have this STD while pregnant will undergo a C-section during delivery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On the other hand, the infection is mostly treated with prescribed antiviral medication.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Genital Warts\/HPV<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a common infection that often does not produce any symptoms. Conversely, when apparent, the only signs are visible lesions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, the pregnant mother won\u2019t be treated for genital warts until after delivery. Also, the latter is typically only affected if the warts are large. In these cases, your provider will discuss your options with you.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Gonorrhea<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you contract this STI during pregnancy, the infection may cause bloodstream infections, fever, and sores, but it typically won\u2019t affect the fetus. Still, if the baby is delivered while the infection is still active, the newborn may develop joint problems, blood infections, infections of the eyes, or even blindness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As in most other cases of sexually transmitted infections, the mother will receive a round of antibiotics, and babies may also be given antibiotic eye ointment to prevent eye infections.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Hepatitis B<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hepatitis B is a liver infection that\u2019s caused by a virus of the same name. If it infects a pregnant woman, they can pass the infection to the developing fetus through the placenta. Additionally, women with this liver infection are more likely to deliver their baby early, i.e., prematurely. Still, the worst outcomes can be prevented with proper and early screening and adequate vaccination. As such, mothers and newborn babies will receive vaccines and injections of antibodies to prevent further infections and problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Trichomonas Vaginalis<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This parasitic infection may lead to vaginal discharge, and if left untreated during pregnancy, it may lead to premature deliveries and low birth weights.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thankfully, this infection may also be treated easily with antibiotics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>HIV\/AIDS<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fortunately, thanks to potent medication combinations, the transmission of HIV to the infant can be almost completely prevented. And even though HIV\/AIDS is an uncurable disease, with the help of various medications, mothers can avoid passing it on to their babies. They, too, can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/conditions\/hiv-and-aids\/living-with\/#:~:text=If%20you%20manage%20your%20condition,your%20risk%20of%20falling%20ill.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">live near-normal lives<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> if they manage their medication correctly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remember, you must take your prescribed antibiotics as instructed, even if you see your symptoms subside. Also, avoid taking someone else\u2019s prescription to treat your own illness. This might lead to adverse effects, making it even more difficult to treat your STI. That said, you should also avoid giving your medication to others for the same reasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Protection from STIs<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1648\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs.jpg\" alt=\"Young Spouses Holding Condom, Lying on Bed Under Blanket, Looking at Each Other With Love at Home\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/03\/Protection-from-STIs.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fortunately, some basic steps can help you protect yourself from these infections:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Abstaining from sex is the only surefire way to prevent STIs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Using condoms and dental dams<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Limiting the number of partners you have sex with<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Monogamy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regular STD testing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid using drugs or alcohol before sex, as you may become less likely to care for the risks of unprotected sex when high or drunk.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Educate yourself about the symptoms of STDs and look for them in your partners and yourself. The more you know about sexually transmitted diseases, the better.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How to Prevent Spreading These Infections<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Refrain from having intercourse until you receive a clean bill of health.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Follow your treatment instructions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Always use a condom.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Consider getting rechecked after some time has passed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ensure that your partner\u2019s also healthy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Don\u2019t Be Embarrassed<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A lot of people might feel ashamed because they have an STI. The worst thing people can do is avoid getting professional help and treatment. If you suspect that you are dealing with an infection, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to our caring team of compassionate experts who can help you restore your reproductive health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prenatal and obstetric care are essential cornerstones of a healthy pregnancy. All women who plan to become mothers should attend these medical sessions to learn about the fundamental processes of a healthy pregnancy and receive the necessary testing and screening to assess their overall health and the health of their potential pregnancy. Typically, the best  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1646,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[48,69],"tags":[368,87,367,365,366],"class_list":["post-1645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pregnancy","category-stds","tag-genital-herpes","tag-high-risk-pregnancy","tag-sexually-transmitted-infections","tag-std-and-pregnancy","tag-std-while-pregnant"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}