Question

A 29-year-old female who was 6 weeks pregnant was tested positive for an incurable STD. She was advised to undergo MTP by her medical practitioner. Which one of the following reasons could be the medical practitioner's concern?

• A. The child might be stillborn
• B. The child might have severe birth defects
• C. The child might get infected from the mother which may not be cured.
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is D All of the above

STDs are sexually transmitted diseases that are caused due to the transmission of pathogenic organisms from an infected person to a non-infected person by sexual contact.

If a pregnant woman is infected there might be several complications that can occur namely,

• Certain viruses can be transferred from the mother to the foetus through the placenta.
• Baby can be born without signs of life - stillborn
• Some STDs cause severe birth defects, where the baby can be born with severe deformities that may affect the child physically or mentally.

MTP is medical termination of pregnancy that is safer to carry out within the first trimester of pregnancy. If the mother is diagnosed with any incurable STI, it may be advisable to discontinue the pregnancy to avoid the above complications as per decided by the medical practioner as case to case basis.