How To Prevent Neonatal Sepsis

Neonatal sepsis is a serious condition that affects newborn babies and can lead to a tragic outcome if not treated in a timely manner.

Do you know what we’re talking about?

If not, keep reading to find out why this is happening. We also explain a bit about how it can be prevented and what its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment are.

What is neonatal sepsis?

A neonatal infection, known as sepsis, is a blood infection that occurs in newborns and in babies younger than 90 days. Sepsis can occur during the baby’s first week (early onset) or between 7 and 90 days after birth (late onset).

In both cases, sepsis occurs due to:

• The presence of bacteria such as E. coli .
• Certain species of streptococci (group B – GBS).
• Herpes simplex virus (HSV).

Early onset of neonatal sepsis

The condition usually occurs between 24 and 48 hours after the birth of a baby. This is because they are exposed to the bacteria immediately before they are born or during childbirth.

The risk factors that increase the chances of the child suffering from sepsis are:

Premature birth

If this happens, the risk increases by:

• The presence of group B streptococci during pregnancy.
• Infection of amniotic fluid and / or placenta.

Also Read: All About Pregnancy Poisoning: Complication in Pregnant Women

Late outbreak of neonatal sepsis

In these cases, the infection occurs shortly after birth. This could be either because the baby had to stay in the hospital or because he / she had a catheter inserted over a long period of time.

Prevention of neonatal sepsis

As always, prevention is better than cure. For this reason, we show the best measures to prevent a neonatal infection.

1. Antibiotic for the pregnant woman

If the expectant mother suffers from conditions such as chorioamnionitis (an infection of amniotic fluid and placenta) or group B streptococci or if she has previously given birth to a baby who had sepsis, the mother should be treated to prevent early onset of neonatal sepsis.

In case a pregnant woman has any kind of ongoing infection, including herpes simplex virus, she should be treated for it. In fact, doctors will recommend treatment of a pregnant woman so as not to get infected or develop any kind of infection.

2. Asepsis at the place of birth

Hygiene at the place where the baby is born is important to keep bacteria away from a newborn. Remember that babies are very vulnerable during the months after birth.

3. Prevent delay of birth after ejaculation

When the water runs, the birth must take place within the next 24 hours to prevent contamination.

Symptoms of neonatal sepsis

In general, preventive measures are important to prevent outbreaks of sepsis. Nevertheless, it is important to know the symptoms in order to be aware :

• Parts of the baby’s skin and sclera (the white part of the eyes) are yellow (this is called jaundice)

• Decreased movement, lack of energy and enthusiasm, even during breastfeeding
• Cramps
• Problems with breathing
• Slow heartbeat
• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Low blood sugar
• An increase in temperature.

If you notice any of the above symptoms or symptoms of other ailments after returning home from the hospital, consult a pediatrician. Do not be intimidated, this is just about making sure everything is as it should be.

Also read: Risk factors for perinatal asphyxia

Diagnosis and treatment

The pediatrician will check for the presence of any of the symptoms described above and are likely to take samples and send them to the laboratory for analysis, such as:

• A blood test that usually requires analysis of the C-reactive protein (CRP), the number of white blood cells and a blood culture.
• A doctor can also examine the spinal fluid to determine if there are bacteria present in the baby’s system or not. If this is the case, a lumbar puncture is performed.
• In addition, cultures can be analyzed based on samples of feces, urine and even skin.
• If there are respiratory problems, a diagnostic X-ray of the breast should be performed.
  In addition, treatment of infants under one month of age who have a fever or other signs of infection requires the administration of intravenous antibiotics immediately, even before a confirmed diagnosis.
• If the mother has previously had any of the infections mentioned above, the baby should receive treatment even if they have no symptoms. Additionally, if the infection is caused by herpes, your doctor will probably prescribe an antiviral medication.

• Finally, if the test results are normal, the baby can come home. However, there should be follow-up visits.

Neonatal sepsis is very serious as it can be fatal to a baby. For this reason, doctors tend to monitor pregnancies fairly closely. They are actually trying to prevent the occurrence of sepsis and ensure the safety of mother and child.