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5 Ways to Keep Prenatal Infections at Bay During Pregnancy

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Prapti Chauhan

During pregnancy, you should take extra care of your health and hygiene. It is important to take additional precautions against infections and other health conditions. Although most infections do not affect the growing fetus, some can pose certain risks to the mother-to-be. The best way to deal with them is by avoiding them.


Here are the top five ways to prevent prenatal infections during pregnancy:


Maintain good hygiene


The easiest way to avoid infection is by maintaining good hygiene. During pregnancy, you should maintain both personal and environmental hygiene; you should keep both yourself and your surroundings clean. Here’s what you can do.


Regular handwashing 


Keeping your hands clean can keep away several disease-causing germs. Always wash your hands before eating. Even if you are eating potato chips from a packet, make sure to wash your hands before putting the chips in your mouth.  Also, washing hands ensure you do not accidentally touch your face or other parts of the body with dirty hands, allowing pathogens to enter your body. So, wash your hands as frequently as possible.


  • You should wash your hands before and after eating food
  • After using the washroom
  • After touching your shoes 
  • After touching any unclean surface 
  • After cleaning your older baby
  • After cleaning pets
  • After gardening 


Keep your surroundings clean


Keep your home clean. Declutter unwanted stuff. Vacuum the carpets and curtains regularly. Mop the floor daily with disinfectants. Keep your kitchen clean. Clean the kitchen countertop daily. Clean the kitchen towels. Do the dishes regularly and avoid keeping a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. Ask your partner to help you in cleaning the house.


Avoid dirty places


Avoid going to places that are crowded and dirty such as meat and fish markets. Even if you go, take a bath or change clothes immediately after coming back home.


Avoid eating raw food items


During pregnancy, avoid eating raw and uncooked food. Avoid unpasteurized milk and cheese. Unpasteurized food can contain harmful bacteria. Avoid eating soft cheese like brie, feta, fresco, and queso. Cook your food well, especially meat and fish. Uncooked meat contains harmful infection-causing worms such as taenia solium or tapeworm. These worms can cause serious harm to you and your baby. 


Always cook your meat well before consuming it. Avoid eating undercooked and processed meat as they contain a harmful bacteria called listeria monocytogenes. During the first trimester, it can cause miscarriage. In the third trimester, these bacteria can cause low birth weight, premature delivery, and even infant death.


Get vaccinated


Vaccinations are ideally taken before you get pregnant. Vaccines can protect you from several infections. Some vaccines such as the flu vaccine or the COVID-19 vaccine can be taken during pregnancy. Consult with your doctor and get the necessary vaccines.


Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)


STDs can cause serious harm to the unborn baby. Both you and your partner should get tested for STDs. Some STDs have no symptoms. Therefore, you should get tested to check if you have it. STDs including HIV can be treated during pregnancy.


Stay away from sick people


If someone is suffering from infectious diseases such as chicken pox, rubella, COVID-19, or even seasonal flu, stay away from them. Avoid contact with the saliva and urine of other people.


Conclusion


The above steps will help you stay away from infections. During pregnancy, you should be extra careful and avoid any kind of infection. Maintaining hygiene and taking vaccination are the best ways to avoid infections. Stay safe and healthy.

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Prapti Chauhan
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