Effects of Rubella Virus on Pregnant Women

I believe that many female friends, especially those who are married and preparing to have children, will make preparations before becoming pregnant, which is to go to the hospital to check whether they are infected with the rubella virus. What is the rubella virus? What effects does it have on the human body, especially on pregnant women?

Pay attention to rubella virus during pre-pregnancy check-up

If you are preparing to get pregnant, get a "TORCH" shot three months before pregnancy to "buy" insurance for your baby. What does TORCH mean?

TORCH is a general term for pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus. T refers to Toxoplasma gondii (TOX), O refers to other viruses (mainly pregnancy complicated with syphilis, etc.), R refers to rubella virus (RV), C refers to cytomegalovirus (CMV), and H refers to herpes simplex virus (HSV). After pregnant women are infected with TORCH, their own symptoms are mostly very mild, or even no obvious symptoms and signs. However, these pathogens can be transmitted vertically through the placenta, causing embryonic development to stop, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, congenital malformations, etc., and even affecting the intellectual development of the baby after birth, causing lifelong sequelae.

Rubella virus

After a pregnant mother is infected with the rubella virus (usually through the respiratory tract infection), after an incubation period of 14 to 21 days, she will develop symptoms such as low fever, runny nose, and rash. Of course, some pregnant mothers do not have any clinical manifestations (called latent infection).

The virus can pass through the placenta and cause infection in the fetus, which can lead to congenital rubella syndrome in the baby, causing the baby to suffer from congenital cataracts, heart disease, deafness and other permanent developmental malformations after birth. In the first month of pregnancy, if the pregnant mother is infected with rubella virus, the infection rate of the fetus will reach 50%; in the second month of pregnancy, the infection rate of the fetus will reach 30%; in the third month of pregnancy, it can reach 20%; after the fourth month of pregnancy, it will be less than 5%.

You should do this:

Rubella virus infection is one of the main causes of birth defects. If you are infected with rubella in early pregnancy (serum IgM antibody positive), there is a high possibility that the fetus will develop abnormally, and the pregnant mother should terminate the pregnancy. If the infection occurs in the second or third trimester, prenatal diagnosis should be performed to rule out fetal infection before continuing the pregnancy. Pregnant mothers should also be cautious when taking medications, mainly for symptomatic treatment, and be careful to avoid drug damage to the fetus.

Although these viruses can have adverse effects on expectant mothers and babies, they are preventable:

Rubella virus

my country has officially started clinical use of live attenuated rubella vaccine since the 1990s, which has significantly improved the immunity of women of childbearing age and reduced rubella infection during pregnancy. Women who test negative for serum IgG antibodies before marriage should be vaccinated, but they should be careful to use contraception within three months after vaccination. In the early stages of pregnancy, pregnant mothers should try to avoid going to public places as much as possible and avoid contact with rubella patients.

Through the introduction of the above article, I believe everyone has a certain understanding of rubella virus? If you do not get checked in time before pregnancy, if you find out that you are infected with rubella virus after you become pregnant, it will have a great impact on the child. Therefore, you must get checked in advance before pregnancy.