BACTERIAL-INFECTIONS IN PREGNANCY

The spectrum of bacterial infections during pregnancy is broad. Among blood-transmitted infections especially listeriosis endangers the child. More frequent are ascending and peripartal infections, which imperil both mother and child. The disturbed vaginal flora, which occurs in 10-30% of all pregnant women, has to be regarded as its reservoir. Cervicitis caused by gonococci or chlamydiae, but also high concentrations of facultative pathogenic bacteria are regarded as the main cause of the preterm rupture of membranes leading to preterm delivery. Especially feared is the group-A-streptococci infection, which appears more frequently. In 5% of all pregnant women a chlamydial cervicitis is found.