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Risks

• Chlamydia increases the risk of miscarriage and preterm birth.
• Chlamydia can be passed on to the baby during pregnancy or delivery and can lead to eye infection or pneumonia in a new-born.
• Despite the risks, a chlamydia test is not part of routine screening at the beginning of your pregnancy. Get yourself tested.
• Watch out for chlamydia if you keep working during your pregnancy.

Mode of transmission

• Chlamydia is transmitted through unsafe vaginal, oral or anal contact with an infected partner. The infection can be passed on to the baby during pregnancy and childbirth.

Treatment

• An antibiotic cure for you and your partner during pregnancy.
• Your baby should only be treated if there is evidence of an infection.

Risks

• Gonorrhoea increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and inflammation of the eye in the new-born.
• Despite the risks, a gonorrhoea test is not part of routine screening at the beginning of pregnancy. Get yourself tested.
• Watch out for gonorrhoea if you keep working during your pregnancy.

Mode of transmission

• Gonorrhoea is transmitted through sexual intercourse or oral sex with an infected partner. It can be passed on to the baby during childbirth.

Treatment

• An antibiotic cure for you and your partner during pregnancy.
• Your baby should only be treated if there is evidence of an infection.

Risks

• The greatest risk is in babies born to women with a herpes type II infection and who have blisters or wounds on their vagina during childbirth. A primary (first) herpes infection increases this risk even more. Women with a recurrent infection can still infect their baby.
• Herpes in a new-born can lead to neurological complications (brain damage).

Mode of transmission

A genital herpes is transmitted by having unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex or close contact with someone who has open herpes sores. This type of herpes can be passed on to a baby during vaginal delivery.

Treatment

• A herpes genitalis infection can be treated with antivirals.
• Please note that this medication only treats the symptoms, but that the herpes virus remains in your body forever. This means that symptoms can reappear after a while, particularly if your resistance is low (episodes of illness, fatigue, pregnancy).
• The gynaecologist may opt for a caesarean section instead of a vaginal delivery when there are blisters or wounds in or around your vagina just before or during childbirth.

Risks

• There is no risk to the child during pregnancy.
• After birth, you can infect your baby with your mouth or hands.
• If you, a family member, a friend or a nurse have a cold sore, make sure that your baby has no direct contact with this lesion. Do not kiss the child. When taking care of your child, wash your hands thoroughly and cover the sores with a mouth mask until they have dried out.
• The cold sore is contagious until it has dried out completely.

Mode of transmission

• Sores get passed on by kissing, touching, sharing food, drinks, eating utensils, skin care tools or make-up. Kissing or touching a baby can transmit cold sores.

Treatment

• Antiviral medication or anaesthetic gels can be used to treat cold sores. 

Risks

• Genital warts are rarely passed on from mother to child but can be transmitted during a vaginal delivery. In that case the baby may also get genital warts.
• No special precautions need to be taken.
• Please note that pregnancy can increase the number and size of genital warts.
• Ask your doctor whether your genital warts need treatment and the best way to manage this ailment.

Mode of transmission

• Genital warts are an STI that can be passed on to a baby.

Treatment

• If the warts don’t cause any discomfort, they don’t need treatment. If they do, discuss appropriate treatment with your doctor.

Risks

• Mothers who are carriers of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) can pass the infection on to their child.
• Contracting HBV during pregnancy may put your baby at risk. Your doctor will tell you what to do.
• If you are not vaccinated against HBV, you can have this done from 3 months of pregnancy.
• Babies infected with HBV during delivery are more likely to develop chronic hepatitis B in later life.
• As a result, all pregnant women are tested for HBV In Belgium.
• All children are vaccinated against hepatitis B in Belgium.

Mode of transmission

• Transmission can happen when blood from an infected person gets into the body of a “clean” person or through contact with body fluids, such as semen, vaginal fluids, or saliva.
• There is a risk of mother-to-child transmission during childbirth.

Treatment

• Mother: The hepatologist will propose a treatment for the mother, depending on the situation.
• Child: The baby will be administered antibodies and an initial vaccination against HBV. Later, the child will receive further vaccinations via the free vaccination programme offered by Kind en Gezin.

Risks

• HIV can be transmitted from mother to child through the placenta during pregnancy, and during childbirth or breastfeeding.
• Consequently, every pregnant woman is tested for HIV at the beginning of pregnancy in Belgium.
• If you are under medical supervision during your pregnancy, your chances of having a HIV-infected baby are less than 2%. Without medical follow-up, this risk increases to 25 à 30 %.

As a sex worker:

• Discuss the risks with the doctor. If necessary, have another HIV-test. If you decide to continue working during pregnancy, do not perform unsafe sex. Be particularly alert when a condom breaks. Consult the doctor as soon as possible to assess the risks.
• Use a condom for ALL sex acts, including oral sex.

Planning a pregnancy

• Ask the advice of your doctor if you and/or your partner are HIV positive and plan to become pregnant.
• Depending on the situation, you can assess the safest conception options.
• Aids reference centre (ARC)
  Pregnancy follow-up of an HIV-positive mother is a complex issue, that should be done in an AIDS reference centre (ARC).
• To find an ARC near you, click here.

Risks

• Syphilis can be passed on from mother-to child at any stage of the disease (primary, secondary, latent or tertiary).
• Infection with syphilis during pregnancy can result in serious defects in the child and/or premature birth. That is why screening and treatment in pregnancy are essential.
• In Belgium, all pregnant women are tested for syphilis at the beginning of pregnancy.

Mode of transmission

• Through the placenta.
• During vaginal delivery if there is an ulcer in the vagina.
• Breast milk does not pass the infection unless there are syphilis sores on your breasts.

Treatment

• A course of antibiotics, as soon as possible after diagnosis, prevents mother-to-child transmission in almost all cases.
• If you already receive medical follow-up for syphilis, tell your doctor that you want to get pregnant or that you are pregnant.
• Syphilis during pregnancy requires a specific treatment. You also need a blood test at the end of the treatment to ensure that it was successful.

As a sex worker:

• Discuss the risks with the doctor. If necessary, have another syphilis test. If you decide to continue working during pregnancy, do not perform unsafe sex. Be particularly alert when a condom breaks. Consult the doctor as soon as possible to assess the risks.
• Avoid sex with a customer who has wounds on his penis. If you do have sex, always use a condom.