Pa. warns of measles infections among pregnant women and congenital cases – Audacy

Pa. warns of measles infections among pregnant women and congenital cases  Audacy

Health officials in Pennsylvania are issuing a warning as more pregnant women have been infected with measles, sparking concerns of congenital cases, which had been, for many years, rare in the United States. | KYW Newsradio PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Health officials in Pennsylvania are issuing a warning as more pregnant women have been infected with measles, sparking concerns about congenital cases, which had been, for many years, rare in the United States. The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued an advisory to doctors’ offices offering guidance as the state deals with the largest measles outbreak in the country in decades. “Measles during pregnancy has been associated with an increased maternal risk of hospitalization, pneumonia, need for oxygen support or mechanical ventilation, and death,” the department said.

Since the outbreak began, 66 pregnant women — about 5% of the state’s outbreak — have been diagnosed with the disease, the health department told NBC News. There are now concerns about congenital measles — babies born with the illness. “Babies can have signs of fever, rashes,” Dr. Sipika Tyagi, an obstetrician with Virtua Health, told NBC10. “[They] can have measles early on, within 10 days after delivery. They can get very sick sometimes. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen very often but they can get pneumonia, which can be life-threatening for the baby.” Health experts