Measles cases are rising in Canada, posing serious risks to pregnant people and their newborns. However, discussions on how to protect this vulnerable group remain limited.
A recent article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) highlights the dangers of measles during pregnancy. The authors are doctors who have worked directly with measles outbreaks in Ontario.
Measles in pregnancy raises the risk of serious health problems such as pneumonia, hepatitis, and even death. It also increases the chances of miscarriage and premature birth. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) within six days of exposure can help reduce the risk or severity of infection, though it is usually administered in hospitals.
Dr. Michelle Science, the lead author and infectious disease specialist at The Hospital for Sick Children, hopes the article will help clinicians who may not have seen measles cases before. She stresses the importance of strict infection control for pregnant patients due to how easily measles spreads.
Vaccination for people of reproductive age is crucial to prevent complications in both pregnancy and newborns.
Dr. Michelle Barton, head of Pediatric Infectious Disease at Children’s Hospital, LHSC, warns that contracting measles during pregnancy can have severe and long-lasting effects on both the parent and child. Some babies may face complications immediately or even years later.
“It’s not a minor illness in pregnancy,” Dr. Barton says. “We want this article to raise awareness about the serious harm measles can cause.”
Dr. Catherine Varner, deputy editor of CMAJ and emergency physician, adds in a related editorial that it is surprising there is little public discussion on protecting pregnant people, especially given Canada’s current measles outbreaks and record-low fertility rates.
She calls for public health to prioritize pregnant people by ensuring quick access to treatments like IVIG for those exposed to measles. Hospitals should also update their protocols for managing measles cases to reduce further infections.
“Pregnant people are often more vulnerable than the general population during infectious disease outbreaks,” Dr. Varner says. “They must not be an afterthought in prevention and healthcare responses.”
Protecting pregnant people and those planning pregnancy is essential to safeguarding their health and that of their babies.
Related Topics
