Maternal infection and adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes

Abstract

Fetal or neonatal infections with the agents of sexually transmitted diseases - syphilis, herpes simplex virus, and HIV - ay have a devastating effect, including either death or long-term neurological disability. In the United States, associated with each of these infections, between 1000 and 2500 infants per year die or are severely damaged. In contrast to these relatively rare outcomes, approximately 400,000 infants are born prematurely each year, and of these, more than 20,000 die in the fetal or the neonatal period, and another 20,000 have neurological sequelae. If the projected effect on preterm birth by BV and the other organisms proposed here is correct, as many as 100,000 preterm births and 5000 or more of the deaths, as well as a similar number of the major disabilities, may be associated with maternal infections. Because some studies suggest that some of the preterm births associated with BV and intrauterine infection may be prevented, it seems that the greatest potential for reducing adverse outcomes of pregnancy associated with maternal infection lies in preventing or treating BV and intrauterine infection-associated preterm births. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.