Is Pneumonia Contagious to Pregnant Women

Pneumonia is a condition of pus secretion and inflammation of the lungs caused by bacteria, virus or mycoplasma. The lungs are affected and in turn, the oxygen supply to the blood is also reduced. It is generally seen in children, elderly or people with lung diseases, or most people with weak immune system.

Pneumonia and Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a very delicate state for women. Since a child is developing inside the body, it fulfills all its requirements of food and oxygen from the mother's body and specifically through blood. In this condition, it is important that the mother's blood has the required amount of nutrients for the baby. If the pregnant woman does not take care, she might catch infectious diseases. Medical experts state that mothers who have diseases like asthma and anemia have higher risks of contracting pneumonia in pregnancy. Moreover, a pregnant lady can get the microorganism causing pneumonia if she is around people suffering from this infection.

Pneumonia and if its Contagious
Experts believe that pneumonia is not a contagious, but its vectors are definitely contagious. This means that you can acquire pneumonia virus or bacteria or mycoplasma from the infected person due to contact, by sitting near him or her, sharing clothes and utensils. But the vector will not cause pneumonia. It would rather cause cold or influenza (flu) in the other person, which, if not treated on time, can manifest into pneumonia. In babies, pneumonia can lead to low weight at birth and there can be increased chances of preterm birth. More dangerous consequences can be some serious complications to the mothers including respiratory failure. According to a study, Streptococcus pneumoniae infection is the most common cause of pneumonia in pregnancy. Maternal pneumonia has been linked with several respiratory diseases like varicella, influenza, and severe acute respiratory syndrome. Is pneumonia contagious after antibiotics treatment? Or is pneumonia contagious when on antibiotics? If this is the question that worries you then you would be glad to know that several antibiotics like Beta-lactam and macrolide have been found to be effective in controlling maternal pneumonia cases. Nonetheless, strict medical supervision is of absolute importance and no antibiotics must be taken unless stated by your doctor. There is such fixed duration of pneumonia infection especially during pregnancy. Once it has affected the mother, it may subside after treatment or persist for longer time aggravating into more difficult respiratory diseases. Doctors generally advise that women should eat healthy food and must stay physically active so that they have a strong immune system. Pregnant ladies with poor immune system are at a higher risk of pneumonia so it is best to take proper care of diet during pregnancy.

If you see the preliminary signs of pneumonia during pregnancy, contact your doctor immediately so that timely treatment and care can be provided. This will not only prevent the infection but will also make sure that the mother and child are safe. Take care!