Viral baby transfer

Whenever we come across STD Exams, we think of sex and lab testing, but it is much more than that. Various sexual diseases tend to spread even without sexual contact. Yes, you heard that right. And the shocking thing is they even have the potential to spread from an infected mother to a newborn baby. Papilloma is one such infection that a mother can donate to her baby at birth. But it is easily detectable with the HPV variant home test kit. Even pregnant women can use this.

Many people don’t know that sexual infections can pass from mother to baby, but let me tell you that a baby can be born with an active STI infection. 

Effects of Sexual Diseases on Pregnancy 

Women who get an STD infection test before or after getting pregnant can gift that disease to their baby at delivery. It is widespread knowledge that many women don’t think they are rearing a condition inside their bodies. This happens because of the inactive nature of most of these infections. Many sexual diseases can silently live in your body for many days, months, or even years. And the harshest effect of this infection only appears in a newborn child.

Thus, healthcare professionals recommend pregnant women perform STD Home exams during pregnancy. This helps to disclose the presence of any unwanted infection. If any disease is found in the pregnancy phase, treatment and medications can help prevent its transfer to the child.

Other effects of sexual diseases on pregnancy are:

  • Miscarriage or stillbirth: These are two common conditions that can take place in pregnant women who have an active sexual infection.
  • Premature delivery: STIs, known as early delivery, can lead to delivery before 37 weeks.
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease: Pregnant women can get PID, an infection of the female reproductive organ.
  • Chorioamnionitis: This is the infection of the amniotic fluid and membrane.

Can Disease Pass from a Mother to an Infant during Delivery?  

Many sexual diseases can pass to an infant from the mother. Some spread during delivery, and others transmit when the baby is in the womb.

  • HPV
  • Syphilis
  • HIV
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis B
  • Gonorrhea
  • Chlamydia

After Effects on Newborn Babies

These STD infectious diseases can cause short-term or long-term effects on babies. Some cause acute eye, blood, lung, or joint infections. Others can cause various chronic conditions that live with the child throughout his life, like HPV and HIV. The type or variant for a checkup is used to find the presence of human papillomavirus in the body. Moreover, the human immunodeficiency virus can make the baby vulnerable to various life-threatening infections. It can also lead to different brain problems like encephalopathy.

Other than this, organ damage is also one of the threats of sexual diseases to babies. Untreated syphilis can cause a baby’s bone, organ, and brain damage. Moreover, blindness, anaemia, deafness, rashes, and nerve problems can also occur. If we talk about hepatitis, it can lead to liver cancer in your baby.

Diseases Can Be Treated During Pregnancy? 

Yes, if a pregnant woman is diagnosed with a sexual disease, there are many favourable chances to cure it. Many bacterial sexual disorders can be treated successfully with a short course of medication prescribed by your doctor. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia are examples of bacterial infections. The patient has to go through a simple exam method for STDs that can also be done in the comfort of their houses via home screening kits.

Other than this, there are those diseases that occur due to the action of viruses like human papillomavirus, which do not have any cure. But, the silver lining is that one can maintain its symptoms with the help of regular HPV DNA testing and medication treatments. HIV is another virus causing sexual diseases that is also without any present treatment, and it lives with the patient permanently until their death. But, there are various defensive measures by which the chances of its spread to the baby can lessen.

Healthcare professionals recommend performing regular STI screening before and after getting pregnant. It will help decrease the risk of infection and mitigate future problems. Also, we know that sampling is highly regarded for exams and diagnosing women, as this infection is one of the leading causes of cervical cancer.

Prevent Sexual Diseases and Infection 

Doctors recommend performing regular monitoring for sexually active people. And if you are planning to have a baby, it becomes compulsory for your baby’s health. HPV monitoring for women is essential in controlling the rise of cervical cancer. Moreover, prenatal care is vital for women as it lessens the risk of STI complications. Your medical professional can suggest the best screening and vaccination programs. The availability of home screening kits also made it easy and reliable to monitor these conditions in comfort.

Conclusion for Home Sampling

Anyone planning for parenthood is advised to go through the testing procedures for a full Profile of STI infections. This will help to reduce pregnancy complications and also aid in safeguarding your child’s health. Among various sexual diseases, Papilloma is most common among women and can easily be found in a home kit. So, it would be better to get regular screening for these conditions. If you get the infection after pregnancy, there is no need to panic as there are still chances for a successful cure. Just follow preventive measures like regular monitoring to help mitigate the risk of life-threatening diseases.