Intestinal parasitic infections, especially due to helminths, increase anemia in pregnant women. The results of this are low pregnancy weight gain and IUGR, followed by LBW, with its associated greater risks of infection and higher perinatal mortality rates.
What happens if you are pregnant and have parasites?
A study by Kalilani and colleagues reported on the association between parasitic infections during pregnancy and increased risk of multiple complications such as maternal anemia, miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation and maternal death [3].
Can Intestinal worms affect pregnancy?
Threadworm infection during pregnancy is not known to put your unborn baby at any risk. Pregnant women may be able to avoid taking medicines to treat threadworms by using strict hygiene measures to clear themselves. Threadworms already in the bowel die within approximately six weeks.
Can you treat parasites while pregnant?
The most common medications for treatment during pregnancy, Praziquantel, and Niclosamide, are both in risk category B. Most often, doctors will prescribe these medications if the risk of withholding treatment outweighs the risk of the potential drug effects to the fetus during pregnancy.
Which parasite can harm developing fetus?
Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It is one of the most common parasitic infections in humans and is most typically asymptomatic. However, primary infection in a pregnant woman can cause severe and disabling disease in the developing fetus.
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