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.
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