Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) in Pregnancy Screening for sexually transmitted diseases is part of routine pregnancy care. STDs can be contracted during vaginal, anal or oral sex. You are at increased risk for a STD if you or your partner have multiple sexual partners, if you have sex without a condom, or if your partner has a STD. If you are at a higher risk you will be tested again in the third trimester so that treatment can be started before delivery. Having an active or untreated infection during pregnancy may be harmful to the baby and increases the risk of the baby contracting the infection at delivery.
Vaccinations The safety of vaccines used during pregnancy is a critical concern for OB-GYNs and their patients. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) monitors pregnancy-related vaccine safety information through its collaborations with the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and with the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In following the current guidelines for vaccination during pregnancy, our practice offers two vaccines that are important in pregnancy; these are the Tdap vaccine and the influenza vaccine. Some vaccines cannot be safely given during pregnancy because they contain live viruses. The most pertinent to pregnancy are the rubella and varicella viruses. These vaccines, if needed, will be offered to you postpartum. Rubella is a virus that can cause serious concerns and fetal malformations if contracted during pregnancy. For this reason, when you are not pregnant anymore, the MMR vaccine will be offered to protect you and any future babies. The varicella virus (chicken pox) can be very serious and even deadly to mothers and babies. If you are not immune to varicella, you will be offered this vaccine to protect you and any future babies. If you know you are not immune to rubella and or varicella, and think you may have been exposed to these viruses, call your doctor right away. We hope you will be appropriately vaccinated during pregnancy and if necessary, after you deliver. We sincerely hope that you will vaccinate 32
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