Tuberculosis in Pregnancy

Tuberculosis (TB) during pregnancy and in the perinatal period was once considered to be an infrequent event in the United States. After a decade of steady decline, however, the disease has begun a resurgence. According to the CDC, a 20% increase in the number of reported cases occurred between 1985 and 1992. The factors associated with this increase are the emergence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the development of drug-resistant organisms, substance abuse, homelessness, and immigration. Environmental factors promoting transmission can be found in overcrowded areas such as correctional facilities, nursing homes, hospitals, and migrant-worker camps. For a large number of medically underserved women, the obstetrician is the only interface with medical care, as most of these patients do not have primary-care providers. It is important, therefore, that health-care providers recognize the clinical symptoms of TB and follow the recognized guidelines for antenatal screening for TB because the omission of these steps can lead to potentially disastrous sequelae in the fetus and neonate.