Gonorrhoea in Pregnancy

If you are pregnant and have contracted a gonorrhoea infection then you must act immediately to seek treatment. If the infection is untreated, then both yourself and your baby are in potential danger as there is a risk of miscarriage, your water may break too early and you may go into preterm labour. The infection can cause a condition called premature rupture of membranes, which can lead to an early labour, and there is a chance of infecting the amniotic sac that surrounds the baby. The infection may also infect your uterus lining which can cause further complications. If your baby is born whilst you have a gonorrhoea infection, then they are passing through the birth canal where the infection has taken hold. This means that you can easily pass the infection onto your baby usually in the form of an eye infection, which can lead to visual problems for your baby if it is untreated. There is also the risk of sepsis to the newborn if the bacteria, gets into their blood stream, which can lead to a whole host of problems. These might be joint problems such as arthritis where the bacteria have travelled to the joints, or even meningitis if the bacteria infect the membranes of the brain. These complications are a rarity but they are a risk if you are pregnant and infected with gonorrhoea.

What are the treatments available?

Treatment is of the utmost importance as soon as the infection has been detected, as the infection is not only harming you but your unborn baby. You will be prescribed the usual antibiotics such as Ceftriaxone and Spectinomycin as these should deal with the infection without causing harm to your baby. If a newborn has been born with an eye infection then antibiotics must be administered immediately in the form of eye drops to ensure that the infection does not lead to eye problems in the future.

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