Dengue makes pregnant women vulnerable to unfavourable pregnancy as compared to non-infected pregnant women, experts said on 19 November.

Gynaecologists said that if pregnant women get infected with dengue, there are possibilities that the foetus may suffer from growth restriction (IUGR) and may be underweight. Dengue virus (DENV) causes fever and severe haemorrhagic symptoms in humans. Dengue Virus Serotype-2 is more fatal.

The vector-borne disease spreads through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito and is dangerous as the infected mother may pass on the infection to the foetus. With dengue haemorrhagic fever affecting pregnant women, the foetus may suffer from growth restriction (IUGR) and may be underweight.

Dr Smita Vats, Gynecologist, Medharbour Clinic told ANI, "The foetus may suffer from growth restriction (IUGR) and may be under-weight. Besides, sometimes the delivery happens before time and babies who are born preterm may have multiple complications of respiratory systems, neurological or digestive disturbances and may fail to thrive. Occasionally there may be intrauterine foetal demise, in severe cases."

Dengue or any high-grade fever leads to a decrease in the amniotic fluid around the foetus and this may adversely affect the well being of the foetus. Dr Vats said, "Pregnant women with dengue may sometimes have a severe form of the illness - dengue hemorrhagic fever where there is spontaneous bleeding in various body tissues. There may also accumulation of fluid in body cavities and lungs which can cause severe breathing difficulty and lungs problems."

In a case where the foetus is under distress or there is internal bleeding, delivery of the baby needs to be expedited and preterm or early delivery is needed, the doctor added. It has also been observed by the experts that occasionally, dengue may be associated with early miscarriages as the risk of prematurity and postpartum haemorrhage is also associated with high-grade fever and low platelet counts.

Experts state that clinical pieces of evidence show dengue spikes preterm labour in some pregnant women. Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj, Gynaecologist, Obstetrician and IVF Expert, Nurture Clinic told, "In febrile pregnant women infected with dengue fever, the risk of an unfavourable pregnancy outcome is sometimes higher than in non-infected women. There isn't enough evidence to suggest that dengue directly damages the foetus."

"Clinical evidence also shows that dengue spikes pre-term labour in some pregnant women. Some expecting women may have breathing problems too. With dengue fever, some pregnant women may feel severe pain in the abdomen and the area of the gallbladder. It may also cause inflammation of the gallbladder. Pancreatitis and deranged liver enzymes have also been seen in some women," said Dr Bajaj.

To highlight other crucial aspects, it has been stated that dengue may be associated with early miscarriages. This viral infection gets transmitted through female mosquitoes' bites, mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus virus that causes dengue called DENV.

Dengue infections are caused by four closely related viruses named DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4. These four viruses are called serotypes because each one has different interactions with the antibodies present in the human blood serum.

Dengue is associated with falling platelet count which can cause haemorrhage and excessive bleeding. Often patients with very low platelet count may need to undergo platelet transfusion. If a pregnant woman gets dengue fever in her last trimester, they need to be extra cautious, the experts recommend.