On a recent Sunday, a pregnant woman in her third trimester was urgently taken to a major maternity hospital’s emergency department after experiencing a high-grade fever. Upon examination, doctors diagnosed her with dengue, noting that her platelet count was critically low.
“We have observed numerous cases of dengue complications in pregnant women in recent weeks,” stated Dr. Shree Prasad Adhikari, a senior hospital official.
“Dengue infections during pregnancy can significantly raise the risks of premature birth, low birth weight in newborns, and other severe complications.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that dengue is a mosquito-borne illness that is mostly transmitted by female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which are also known to cause chikungunya, yellow fever, and the Zika virus.
Dengue infection rates have alarmingly increased in many areas’ medical facilities. Experts believe the true figure may be far higher because a significant portion of infected individuals do not exhibit any symptoms, despite official data showing thousands of cases and multiple fatalities.
Pregnant women are becoming more likely to get this virus as infection rates rise. Because viral infections during pregnancy pose serious threats to the health of both the mother and the unborn child and can have serious consequences, health professionals are especially concerned.
“While we haven’t documented any maternal or neonatal deaths specifically due to dengue, we have dealt with multiple cases involving premature births and babies born with low weight,” Dr. Adhikari reported. “Many of these patients required blood transfusions due to dangerously low platelet counts.”
Medical experts point out that during pregnancy, the immune system can become more vulnerable, heightening the risk of severe dengue complications and increasing the chance of mortality. Pregnant women are more susceptible to severe infections compared to the general population.
“Dengue can lead to prepartum hemorrhage, triggering preterm labor,” explained Dr. Sunil Sharma Acharya, another physician.
“The liver can also be affected, and the risk of miscarriage increases when dengue occurs during pregnancy.”
Specialists also highlight that high fever and some medications used to treat fever can contribute to early labor, uterine contractions, and preterm birth. Excessive bleeding during or shortly after childbirth, as well as the potential transmission of infection to newborns, raises the risk of complications for both mother and child.
Over the past several decades, maternal mortality rates have shown a global decline, but experts are concerned that rising dengue infections among pregnant women may reverse some of the progress made. They emphasize that pregnant women who contract dengue should seek immediate medical advice and avoid self-medicating.
Although dengue transmission often peaks during post-monsoon periods, outbreaks have occurred throughout the year, covering pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons.
“Many individuals might have been recently infected with the dengue virus,” commented Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, a leading researcher on infectious diseases. “Despite warnings, both the public and authorities seem to have underestimated the threat, making the recent rise in cases predictable.”
As there is no definitive treatment for dengue, medical professionals focus on symptom management, such as administering platelet-rich plasma transfusions when necessary. Common symptoms include mild to high fever, intense muscle pain, rashes, severe headaches, and eye pain.
According to WHO, while there is no specific treatment for severe dengue, early diagnosis and timely access to quality medical care can significantly reduce fatality risks.