Women that become pregnant are not immune to getting an STD. They are just as susceptible as those that aren’t pregnant no matter some of the myths that are out there. Pregnancy isn’t something that provides women or their babies with any “special” protection against an STD.

The consequences that come from an STD are amplified, even to the point of being potentially life threatening for both a woman and her baby if the woman is infected with an STD while she is pregnant. It’s crucial that women are aware of the harmful problems that come from STDs and they adequately protect themselves and their unborn child against any infection.

United States and STDs in Pregnant Women

There are some STDs like those of bacterial vaginosis or genital herpes that are actually quite common in women that are pregnant within the United States. Other diseases like syphilis and HIV are much less common in the pregnant women.

The below STD and the number shows the number of pregnant women in the United States that are infected with that specific STD each year:

• 1,080,000 – Bacterial Vaginosis
• 880,000 Herpes Simplex Virus 2
• 100,000 – Chlamydia
• 124,000 – Trichomoniasis
• 13,200 – Gonorrhea
• 16,000 – Hepatitis B
• 6,400 – HIV
• < 1,000 – Syphilis

The Affects of STDs on an Unborn Child

STDs are something that has a lot of the same consequences for the pregnant women as the women that aren’t pregnant. STDs are something that can lead to cervical cancers as well as other cancers, chronic hepatitis, infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease as well as other unintended and potentially life threatening complications. The unfortunate thing is that many of the STDs in women are silent, meaning they have no signs or symptoms. That is part of what makes them so dangerous.

An STD can pass from the pregnant woman to her baby either before, during or even after the baby is born. STDs, like syphilis, can actually cross through the placenta and infect the baby while it’s in the womb. Other STDs like gonorrhea, hepatitis B, genital herpes and others can be transmitted from the mother during the delivery process as the baby is passing through the birth canal. This is why it is likely for a C-Section to be performed. Another STD that can cross the placenta during pregnancy is HIV. Also with HIV it can also infect a baby during breastfeeding so you don’t want to breastfeed your child especially with HIV. For all other STDs make sure that you consult with your doctor.

Another problem with a pregnant woman with an STD is a problem with the early onset of labor, premature ruptures of the surrounding membranes of the baby in the uterus, also the higher possibility of uterine infection after delivery.

The harmful effects of the STDs in babies can lead to many complications, anything from:

• Stillbirth
• Low birth weight
• Conjunctivitis
• Pneumonia
• Neonatal sepsis
• Neurologic damage
• Blindness
• Deafness
• Acute hepatitis
• Meningitis
• Chronic liver disease
• Cirrhosis
• More

Almost all of these problems are ones that can be prevented through the routine prenatal care. This is something that will include the STD screening early in the pregnancy and will be repeated again close to the delivery if needed.

STD Testing For Pregnant Women

Guidelines from the CDC recommend that pregnant women be screened the first prenatal visit. Pregnant women need to ask their doctor about being tested for an STD as some doctors don’t do this as a routine testing procedure. Even if tested in the past, get tested again when you become pregnant.