:: Article: Tuberculosis and Pregnancy: A Ten Year Overview
:: Author(s): Suvarna S Khadilkar, Usha Saraiya,
:: Keyword : tuberculosis, pregnancy outcome

:: OBJECTIVES : To study the pattern of tubercular desease (TB) over a span of 10 years with a special reference to the pregnancy outcome in women with tuberculosis and also to make an attempt to understand whether pregnancy alters the course of tuberculosis.

:: METHODS : This is a prospective observational study analyzing 10years experience of pregnancies complicated by tuberculosis. The patients were studied over two phases: phase I:Jan 1991 to Dec. 1995, [n=76] and phase II: Jan 1996 to Dec. 2000, [n=77]. Pregnancy outcome and course of the disease in these 153 pregnant women with tuberculosis were studied.

:: RESULTS : Fifteen percent of women had reactivation of tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis was by far the most common in both the phases. Cough and low grade fever were commonest symptoms. Severity of the disease reduced over the years and was found mainly in seropositive patients in phase II. Pregnancy outcome was not adversely affected except for a very high incidence of low birth weight babies. There were two maternal mortalities in phase I and one mortality in phase II.

:: CONCLUSION : The incidence of TB has remained steady in spite of improved treatment strategies. Perinatal mortality decreased with time but the incidence of low birth weight babies remained quite high. The differences in the observations in phase I and II were not significant by Z test. Since high index of suspicion helps early diagnosis and treatment there is a strong need for health education, antenatal counseling and combined TB and AIDS awarness campaign.

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