Prospective Study of Pyrexia with Pregnancy

OBJECTIVES: Fever in pregnancy is a common clinical problem that increases the risk of morbidity for the mother and fetus. We studied variable medical complications of pregnant women suffering from fever and possible fetal complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective observational study of pyrexia with pregnancy in 50 patients admitted to our hospital irrespective of age, parity, reproductive characteristics, and socioeconomical conditions. RESULTS: First, the majority group of the patients were of urinary tract infections and upper respiratory tract infections. The second majority group of the patients were of malaria, dengue, enteric fever, and pyrexia of unknown origin. Most of the etiologies of pyrexia were preventable. The majority of the patients had a low and moderate grade of pyrexia. Small for gestational age was the most common adverse pregnancy outcome and there were six perinatal deaths. CONCLUSION: Our study depicts that a wide range of maternal medical complications, as well as fetal and neonatal complications, occur due to pyrexia in pregnancy from various etiology.