Intrauterine Infections

There are many types of intrauterine infections that could result in a baby being born with a hearing impairment. Infections in babies are either transmitted through the placenta during pregnancy, or are acquired from the mother's birth canal during labor. Infections that can affect babies are toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex. Other infections that can harm babies are chicken pox, syphilis, hepatitis B, parvovirus, HIV, chlamydia trachomatis, mycoplasma and group B streptococcus.

Each infection has unique features that can cause hearing loss or deafness in a child along with other birth disorders. Mothers should be education about these infections before they become pregnant, as this is the ideal time to take preventive measures.
Women can reduce the risk of infection during pregnancy by following these procedures:
  • Your children should be fully immunized.
  • You should know your rubella immune status before trying to conceive and especially during pregnancy.
While pregnant, you should:
  • Wash your hands after changing diapers or handling any body secretions.
  • Wash your hands before and after handling food.
  • Avoid eating undercooked meats.
  • Try not to kiss your children on the mouth.
  • Don't share cutlery or toothbrushes with your children.
The first trimester of pregnancy is the most dangerous time for women and their fetuses. An infection in the mother may be hard to diagnose as she may only have trivial symptoms, if any at all. If the mother is infected it doesn't necessarily mean that the baby will be affected. Plus, babies are more at risk for certain infections at particular stages of pregnancy. For rubella it's the first trimester; while with herpes it's during delivery.

Mother's can protect themselves and their babies from infection by getting immunized for rubella during childhood and before pregnancy. Other types of infections, such as syphilis, are treated with penicillin. The effects of a congenitally acquired infection can be more severe than the effects of the same infection if it's acquired in the usual manner. A child who gets rubella may only suffer from a mild fever and itchy rash while congenital rubella can sometimes lead to a baby being born with deafness, cataracts, heart defects or other problems.

If a baby shows abnormal signs they should be tested for one or more congenital infections. A baby's symptoms could include an abnormal appearance, eye abnormalities, seizures, small size, a big or small head, cardiac murmur, enlarged abdominal organs, jaundice, skin rashes, petechiae and others.