Why do pregnant women get listeria

These include the following conditions:. Many cases of listeriosis occur in healthy pregnant women. Pregnant Hispanic women are also at a higher risk — roughly 24 times more likely than the general population to be infected. A doctor will suspect listeriosis if you are pregnant and have a fever or flu-like symptoms.

Listeria is difficult to diagnose. Your doctor will try to confirm a diagnosis by performing a blood culture to test for presence of the bacteria.

The cultures may take up to two days for growth. Because it is so serious for the baby, your doctor may start treatment for listeriosis even before they get the results.

If you are pregnant and are infected with listeriosis, you are at an increased risk of:. In some cases, the infection can lead to complications in pregnant women, including:.

Listeria is treated with antibiotics. Doctors will usually prescribe penicillin. A Listeria infection is often severe in babies. It carries a fatality rate of 20 to 30 percent according to a review in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Early treatment with antibiotics helps prevent fetal infection and other severe complications.

Not all babies whose mothers are infected will have problems. The key to preventing listeria infections during pregnancy is to follow guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC.

The organization recommends that you should not eat foods with a high risk of Listeria contamination when you are pregnant. They will recall any prepared chicken, pork, and seafood products in the United States if there is any concern of contamination. Pregnant women should call their doctor if they have any of the common symptoms. Eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may lead to an infection called listeriosis. If you're pregnant, here's the truth about eating soft cheeses like feta and all the safety information you need to know.

A new study finds that epidurals do not affect child development in their later years. A fetal arrhythmia is an irregular heart rate — too fast, too slow, or otherwise outside the norm. It's often benign. Postpartum diarrhea after a C-section is normal. Sharing our experiences of pregnancy and infant loss can help us heal.

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Listeria can be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy or birth. Newborn babies infected with listeria may show signs of infection at birth or during the first few days of life. Infection in newborn babies can be very severe and can include lung infection pneumonia and meningitis. Infected babies may have severe difficulty with breathing and feeding. If you think you have eaten food contaminated with listeria or if you have any of the symptoms of listeria infection, contact your doctor or midwife right away.

Remember that it can take 2 months for symptoms to appear. Your doctor may ask for a blood test to see whether you have listeria infection. You may need to take antibiotics to treat the infection and prevent your baby from becoming infected. Foods that are contaminated with listeria don't look, smell or taste off. Cooking and pasteurisation are the only ways to kill listeria. Listeria will continue to grow in foods in the fridge.

The best way to avoid listeria infection is to avoid high-risk foods and always handle food safely.