Infections and Pregnancy

Summary

During pregnancy, some common infections like the common cold or a skin infection do not usually cause serious problems. But other infections can be dangerous to you, your baby, or both. Some infections may lead to preterm birth and low birth weight babies. Others can cause serious illness, birth defects, and lifelong disabilities, such as hearing loss or learning problems.

Some of the infections that can be dangerous during pregnancy include:

• Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
• Group B strep (GBS)
• Hepatitis
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Toxoplasmosis
• Urinary tract infections
• Yeast infections
• Zika virus

To try to prevent infections,:

• Don’t eat raw or undercooked meat
• Don’t share food or drinks with other people
• Wash your hands frequently
• Don’t empty cat litter. Cats can transmit toxoplasmosis.

If you do get an infection during pregnancy, contact your health care provider about how best to protect you and your baby. Only some medicines are safe during pregnancy.

Start Here

• 10 Tips for Preventing Infections before and during Pregnancy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Pregnancy Complications Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health

Specifics

• 5 Things to Know About Zika and Pregnancy Nemours Foundation
• CMV Facts for Pregnant Women and Parents Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• E. Coli and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• Group B Strep Infection March of Dimes Foundation
• Listeriosis and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• Microcephaly and Other Birth Defects: Zika Virus Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Pregnancy and Fifth Disease Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Pregnant and Recently Pregnant People (COVID-19) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Pregnant Women and Influenza (Flu) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Sexually Transmitted Infections March of Dimes Foundation
• Sexually Transmitted Infections, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health
• Staphylococcus aureus and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• STDs during Pregnancy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Toxoplasmosis and Pregnant Women Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Tuberculosis Treatment and Pregnancy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Vibrio and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• Yeast Infection during Pregnancy Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Zika Virus: Plan for Travel Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Zika Virus: Sexual Transmission and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Caring for a Child or Family Member Sick with Dengue Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Group B Strep Infection: Prevention in Newborns Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• HPV Vaccine and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• People at Risk: Pregnant Women Department of Health and Human Services

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Infections and Pregnancy National Institutes of Health

Find an Expert

• Find an Ob-Gyn American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• March of Dimes Foundation March of Dimes Foundation
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Related Issues

• Flu Vaccine Safety and Pregnancy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella and the MMR Vaccine during Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• Meningococcal Disease (Bacterial Meningitis) Vaccine and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) Vaccine and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists
• Travelers’ Health: Pregnant Travelers Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Vaccines and Pregnancy: 8 Things You Need to Know Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Vaccines for Pregnant Women Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Patient Handouts

• Group B streptococcal septicemia of the newborn Medical Encyclopedia
• Group B streptococcus – pregnancy Medical Encyclopedia
• Pregnancy and the flu Medical Encyclopedia
• Pregnant Women Need a Flu Shot Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Protect Your Baby for Life: When a Pregnant Woman Has Hepatitis B Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Summary of Maternal Immunization Recommendations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Encyclopedia

• Pregnancy and herpes Medical Encyclopedia

Journal Articles

• Infections and Pregnancy

Diagnosis and Tests

• Strep B Test National Library of Medicine

Statistics and Research

• Zika Virus: Protecting Pregnant Women and Babies Centers for Disease Control and Prevention