Our team at The Child Injury Firm has been dedicated to helping children and their families for decades. We’ve focused on those heartbreaking times when a serious injury changes a child’s life forever. While we see all kinds of injuries, some of the most difficult are those that happen even before a baby is born, or during delivery. We want to talk about one of those less discussed dangers: infections during pregnancy.
You might not realize it, but certain infections in a pregnant mother can cause serious problems for her developing baby. While some infections are unavoidable, others could have been managed or prevented with the best medical care. Let’s talk about what these infections are, how they can affect a child, and why vigilance from medical professionals is so incredibly important.
When a mother gets certain infections while she’s pregnant, these tiny invaders can sometimes cross the amnion – that special connection between mom and baby – and affect the developing child. Think of the amnion as a protective shield and a lifeline. If an infection gets past that shield, it can mess with how the baby’s organs, brain, or other body parts are growing.
There’s a group of infections often called “TORCH” that doctors pay special attention to because they are known to be dangerous for babies:
These infections can lead to serious issues like hearing loss, vision problems, brain damage, heart defects, or developmental delays. For example, Rubella infection during early pregnancy can cause severe birth defects in up to 85% of babies, leading to deafness, cataracts, or heart problems. (Source: ECDC Factsheet on Congenital Rubella Syndrome). These are lifelong challenges for a child and their family.
Beyond the well-known TORCH infections, there are other surprising ways infections can cause harm, and sometimes, doctors don’t spot them early enough:
The Silent Threat of CMV: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that many adults have without symptoms. But if a pregnant mother gets it for the first time, or if it reactivates, it can reach the baby. It's the most common viral infection passed to babies before birth, and it can cause lifelong problems like hearing loss (sometimes showing up later in childhood), vision issues, or brain damage. (Source: Infections and Pregnancy: Effects on Maternal and Child Health - PubMed Central). Many people don't even know they have CMV, which makes screening and awareness crucial from healthcare providers.
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) Link to Preterm Birth: BV is a common bacterial infection in the vagina. While it often has mild or no symptoms, if left untreated, it can increase the risk of preterm labor or the breaking of waters too early. Preterm birth is a leading cause of long-term neurological problems and developmental issues in children. This highlights how even common infections need proper management.
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) & Risks: UTIs are very common in pregnancy, affecting about 8% of women. If not caught and treated, they can spread to the kidneys and increase the risk of preterm labor, early rupture of membranes, or even serious infection in the newborn.
These stats show that even seemingly “mild” infections can have serious consequences if not properly monitored and managed by medical professionals that have your best interest in mind.
Doctors and medical staff have a big responsibility to monitor mothers for signs of infection, test for common ones, and treat them promptly. Medical negligence might occur if:
Our firm, The Child Injury Firm, has decades of experience carefully investigating these complex situations. We work with leading medical experts to determine if a doctor, nurse, or hospital made a mistake – if their actions (or lack of action) led to your child’s injury from an infection.
If your child has suffered an injury or a birth defect that you suspect is linked to an infection during pregnancy that wasn’t properly managed, you probably have a million questions. You might wonder if it could have been prevented, or what your best options are.
The Child Injury Firm is here to help. We have spent decades helping families navigate these incredibly difficult cases. We offer free, compassionate consultations to review your child’s medical records, talk about what happened, and determine if medical negligence played a role. We fight to hold negligent medical providers accountable and secure the financial compensation your child needs for lifelong care, therapy, and a future with the best possible quality of life.
You can learn more about how we fight for injured children and their families by visiting our main website: https://www.childinjuryfirm.com/.
Don’t wait. Time is essential in these cases. Reach out to The Child Injury Firm today. We’re here to be your child’s voice and fight for the justice they deserve.
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Not all infections result in long term imparirment, but certain ones can cause serious problems for a developing baby. Doctors are especially concerned about a group called “TORCH” infections, which include Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Herpes Simplex Virus. Other infections like Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) or Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), if not properly managed, can also lead to complications like premature birth, which can cause its own set of injuries.
When a pregnant mother has certain infections, the germs can sometimes cross the placenta or amnion. The placenta is like the baby’s lifeline, providing everything it needs. If the infection gets past this protective shield, it can mess with how the baby’s brain, organs, or other body parts are growing. This can lead to birth defects, developmental delays, hearing loss, vision problems, or even brain damage like Cerebral Palsy. The harm depends on the specific infection and when it happened during the pregnancy.
Not always, but sometimes, yes. While some infections are hard to avoid, doctors and medical staff have a big responsibility to monitor for, test for, and treat infections in pregnant mothers. Medical negligence could play a role if:
If your child’s injury was caused by a medical professional’s negligence related to a maternal infection, you might be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. This legal action aims to hold the negligent doctors, nurses, or hospital accountable for their mistakes.
Our firm, The Child Injury Firm, has decades of experience dedicated to helping children injured due to medical negligence, including those harmed by infections during pregnancy.
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