Beware of Monkeypox, What Impact on Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers?

KOMPAS.com – Illness monkey pox or monkeypox is receiving international attention. The infection continues to spread, not only in endemic countries, the spread of the virus has been detected in non-endemic countries.

On this matter, the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 23 stated that the monkeypox virus was Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) or global public health emergency.

Monkeypox disease can cause sufferers to experience high fever, severe headaches, skin lesions, and swollen lymphadenopathy.

Read also: Treatment of Monkeypox is borne by the Government, the Ministry of Health Prepares the Rules

Although the fatality rate is still low, monkeypox poses a risk to children, the elderly, and sufferers immunocompromised.

Complications of monkeypox can be in the form of secondary infection, bronchopneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis, to corneal infection that causes blindness.

So, what is the impact of infection? monkeypox in pregnant women?

Pregnant women are one of the vulnerable groups for monkeypox infection or monkeypox.

Looking at the data in Africa, there are indeed reports that the virus can be transmitted to the baby through placental fluid, which is caused by a virus monkeypox pass through the blood at certain stages.

“So transmission can occur to newborns, (through) placental transmission or even close contact after the birth process,” explained the Consultant for Tropical Diseases and Infections, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo dr. Robert Sinto at a press conference “Progress Updates Monkey Pox in Indonesia” on Wednesday (27/7/2022).

Furthermore, several case reports indicate that infection can cause fetal death, although the incidence is not clearly reported.

Read also: Monkeypox Designated a Global Health Emergency, Get to Know the Characteristics

Transmission of monkeypox through breast milk

Hypothetically, a virus that spreads through the bloodstream, it can be suspected that the virus monkeypox It can also be transmitted through breast milk (ASI).

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