Infectious disease and pregnancy

Infectious disease in pregnancy remains worldwide a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The majority of maternal deaths due to infection occur in developing countries but deaths are not unknown in the UK. Adverse fetal outcomes associated with infection include spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, congenital abnormality, intrauterine growth restriction, prematurity and neonatal infection. While the majority of infections in pregnancy will cause no lasting harm the potential for serious consequences makes a systematic approach to diagnosis and treatment mandatory. This article discusses the most significant infections encountered in obstetric practice.