Untreated maternal infections can, in some situations, lead directly to birth injuries and long term disabilities in a child. When an infection is not found or not properly treated, it can harm the baby in the womb, during labor, or shortly after birth, sometimes causing brain damage, cerebral palsy, or other serious problems.[3][4][8]
What is a maternal infection
A maternal infection is any infection a pregnant person gets before or during pregnancy or around the time of delivery. Common examples include urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, sexually transmitted infections like syphilis or herpes, viral illnesses such as cytomegalovirus or rubella, and infections of the placenta or amniotic fluid.[3][4]
Doctors normally watch closely for these conditions during prenatal care because pregnancy changes the immune system and can make both mother and baby more vulnerable to complications.[3]
How infections reach and affect the baby
The baby is partly protected by the placenta and the amniotic sac, but some germs can still reach the fetus.
They can do this in several ways:
1. Through the bloodstream
Some viruses, bacteria, or parasites circulate in the mother’s blood and cross the placenta to the baby. This is sometimes called a transplacental or in utero infection.[2][4]
When an infection crosses this barrier, it can interfere with how the baby’s brain, nerves, and organs develop. Cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, and rubella are well known examples.[4]
2. Through the birth canal during labor
During delivery, the baby passes through the vagina and can come into contact with bacteria or viruses present there. These are called intrapartum infections.[2]
Infections like group B strep, herpes simplex virus, and untreated urinary or vaginal infections can be passed at this stage if not properly managed.[1][2][4]
3. After the water breaks
Once the amniotic sac ruptures, the protective barrier between the uterus and the outside environment is weakened. The longer the baby stays in the uterus after the water has broken, the higher the risk that bacteria can travel upward and cause infection for both mother and baby.[2]
4. Shortly after birth
Severe infections in newborns can also start in the first days or weeks of life. Some of these are tied to germs picked up from the mother or from the birth environment, especially if there were undiagnosed infections or delays in treatment.[1][5][10]
How untreated infections lead to birth injuries
A birth injury is any physical harm that occurs before, during, or shortly after birth. Untreated infections increase the risk of such injuries in several connected ways.
1. Brain injury and cerebral palsy
Several sources explain that maternal infections are a recognized risk factor for cerebral palsy, a lifelong condition that affects movement and posture.[1][4][8] According to legal-medical resources that summarize medical literature, maternal fever or untreated infections like cytomegalovirus, Zika virus, herpes, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, and urinary tract infections can increase the risk that a child will develop cerebral palsy.[4][8]
Infections can damage the baby’s brain by:
– Triggering inflammation that harms sensitive brain tissue
– Reducing oxygen supply to the brain
– Disrupting normal brain cell development and connections[1]
Severe infections in infants such as meningitis or sepsis can also lead to permanent brain damage if not recognized and treated in time.[1][2][5][10] These injuries are often categorized as neonatal brain injuries, which can appear as developmental delays, seizures, or movement problems later on.
2. Sepsis and shock
If bacteria from an untreated infection enter the bloodstream, both mothers and newborns can develop sepsis, a dangerous whole body reaction to infection.[5][6][10] For newborns, sepsis can progress rapidly and cause:
– Severe low blood pressure
– Reduced blood flow to the brain and organs
– Multi organ failure
This chain of events can result in hypoxic ischemic brain injury, where the brain is damaged because it does not get enough oxygen and blood flow.[7][8][10] That type of injury is a key cause of long term disabilities such as cerebral palsy, learning difficulties, or epilepsy.
3. Preterm birth and low birth weight
Untreated infections during pregnancy are linked with preterm birth and low birth weight.[3] When a baby is born too early, their brain, lungs, and other organs may not be fully developed, which makes them more vulnerable to injury from oxygen problems, bleeding in the brain, or infections after birth. Preterm babies are also more likely to develop cerebral palsy and other developmental issues, partly because their brains are more fragile.[1][3]
4. Infections of the uterus and amniotic fluid
Conditions like chorioamnionitis (infection of the membranes around the baby) can arise if vaginal or uterine infections are not treated. These infections are associated with:
– Maternal fever
– Fetal distress
– Preterm labor
– Increased risk of neonatal infection and brain injury[1][2][8]
If doctors miss the signs of such infections or delay giving antibiotics or delivering the baby when needed, the risk of serious injury rises.[7][8]
5. Specific infections and their potential effects
Different infections carry different levels of risk:
– Group B Streptococcus
Without proper screening and antibiotics during labor, GBS can cause sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis in the baby. These illnesses can result in brain damage or death if treatment is delayed.[1][2]
– Herpes simplex virus
If a mother has active genital herpes at delivery and steps are not taken to protect the baby, the newborn can develop widespread HSV infection, including infection of the brain (encephalitis), which may result in permanent neurological damage.[2][4]
– Syphilis
Untreated syphilis in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital syphilis, which can damage bone, brain, and other organs.[4]
– Cytomegalovirus, rubella, Zika virus, toxoplasmosis
These infections, if acquired during pregnancy and left unrecognized, can cause hearing loss, vision problems, microcephaly, intellectual disability, or motor issues in the child by interfering with fetal brain development.[4]
– Urinary tract and vaginal infections
These are common in pregnancy. When not treated, they raise the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and in some cases can spread upward, causing more serious infections that endanger both mother and baby.[3][4]
The role of medical care and potential negligence
Several legal and medical malpractice resources stress that many infection related birth injuries are linked to failures in medical care, such as:
– Not screening for infections like GBS at the recommended time
– Ignoring maternal fever or other warning signs
– Misreading lab results that suggest infection
– Delaying antibiotics when there is a clear risk of infection
– Not performing a cesarean section when infection or fetal distress makes it necessary
– Failing t
