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Viral Hemorrhagic Fever

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Infections and Pregnancy

Abstract

Viral hemorrhagic fever has caused a worrying number of deaths in recent years, leading to some outbreaks being declared by the World Health Organisation as an international emergency.

Viral hemorrhagic fever in pregnancy is relevant as it affects not only the mother and the unborn baby, but it also has the potential of human-to-human transmission leading to large nosocomial outbreaks, affecting not just patients but healthcare providers looking after these patients.

It is important to understant the pathophysiology of the viruses and how the pregnant women and the unborn fetus cope with it. The management of this special population is crucial to ensure the well being of both mother and the fetus while maintaining safety of the healthcare provider as well. Treatment especially has to be titrated according to what would be safe for use in pregnant versus non-pregnant population.

The chapter discusses the four important viral hemorrhagic fevers—Ebola virus, Marburg, Lassa fever, and Yellow Fever.

This chapter also addresses the limitations of research of viral hemorrhagic fever in pregnancy which has increased over the years, however due to safety profiles and ethical legislations. Though such fevers have increased over the years, treatment and vaccines are unfortunately still lacking.

It overall highlights pregnant women being a population that has restrictions in practicing full evidence-based medicine and recruitment of trials, but healthcare providers are practicing as best as they can to provide the best care for pregnant women.

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Acknowledgment

Literature Search of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever in Pregnancy (October 2020), Birmingham UK, performed by Derick Yates, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust Library and Knowledge service.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Birmingham Womenʼs and Childrenʼs NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK

    Edwina Goh & Ruchira Singh

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  1. Edwina Goh
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  2. Ruchira Singh
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Correspondence to Ruchira Singh .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, Delhi, India

    Sumita Mehta

  2. Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, Delhi, India

    Anshul Grover

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Goh, E., Singh, R. (2022). Viral Hemorrhagic Fever. In: Mehta, S., Grover, A. (eds) Infections and Pregnancy. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7865-3_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7865-3_11

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