Role of Infectious Agents in Adverse Consequences of Pregnancy
Author Information
Author(s): Anne Schuchat, Sharon Hillier, Kathryn Edwards, Stephanie Schrag, Miriam Labbok
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
Do infectious agents increase the risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight in infants?
Conclusion
Most antimicrobial treatments during pregnancy did not show a beneficial effect in reducing preterm deliveries or low birth weight.
Supporting Evidence
- Numerous studies have shown that sexually transmitted infections can increase the risk of preterm delivery.
- Only two out of approximately 15 clinical trials found that antimicrobial treatment during pregnancy had a positive impact.
- Breast-feeding reduces illness and death from infectious diseases.
- Exclusive breast-feeding is associated with the greatest reduction in illness and death from infectious agents.
Takeaway
Infections during pregnancy can lead to problems for babies, but most treatments to prevent this don't work well.
Methodology
The review assessed various studies on sexually transmitted and other genital tract infections related to pregnancy outcomes.
Limitations
Many trials focused on single infections rather than the broader interactions among multiple pathogens.
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