Patient's question:
I am five months pregnant. Before this, I had a daughter who is in third grade this year. Today, her teacher called me to say that my daughter has hand, foot, and mouth disease. It is said that hand, foot, and mouth disease is contagious, so I would like to consult whether pregnant women can be infected with hand, foot, and mouth disease?Doctor's answer:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a clinically diagnosed, communicable, and common disease caused by enterovirus infection. It is highly contagious, and there is a high chance of infection simply by coming into contact with a patient. During pregnancy, as the fetus draws nutrients from the mother's body, the pregnant woman's physical condition weakens, and her resistance decreases. Once exposed to such patients, she is likely to become infected. It is essential to take preventive measures, isolate the affected child, and avoid infection to prevent it from affecting the normal growth and development of the fetus.