Walking pneumonia during pregnancy

Walking pneumonia

Pneumonia is a condition related to the lung disorder, where the lungs are inflamed due to various pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi and many others. Walking pneumonia has nothing to do with some disorder which is associated with walking disabilities.

Walking pneumonia, or mycoplasmal pneumonia as it is known in the medical circles, refers to the minor lung infection induced by the microbe called Mycoplasma pneumonia. The name of this disorder implies that it lasts only for a while. In most cases, it only exists for a few days, but only if it is treated; otherwise, it may prolong for a month and lead to some health complications. Furthermore, walking pneumonia should not be treated by self-medication since it will continue to last more than a few days. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted, especially if the pregnant women develop walking pneumonia.

Walking pneumonia in pregnancy

Even though walking pneumonia is a condition that may appear in anyone despite the sex or age, pregnant women and children who are less than 15 years old are most susceptible to it. When a pregnant woman contracts walking pneumonia, it may also affect the baby inside of her. Therefore, she should take certain precautions in order to prevent bacteria from seriously affecting the immune system. Although, the expecting mothers should avoid taking medicines without prescription, when it comes to walking pneumonia the doctor’s instructions should be followed. Once, the women experiences the symptoms similar to those of the flu, a doctor should be visited to prevent pneumonia from affecting the baby.

There are several types of pneumonia that a woman can develop according to the type of organism causing it ,as well as depending on the place where it is acquired. However, pneumonia is not a contagious condition although the bacteria can pass from the infected one to others. The newly infected person does not develop pneumonia, but only the symptoms of the flu or common cold which, if left untreated, lead to the pneumonia.

The baby can be protected when the mother makes her immune system strong since the women with weak immunity, asthma and anemia are at high risk to contact pneumonia. Beta-lactam and macrolide are usually prescribed for treating walking pneumonia in pregnant women, but strict medical supervision is necessary. If walking pneumonia affects the baby, the baby will be born with low weight or the mother will experience premature labor. No pregnant women should try to cure any health problem alone since it may have serious consequences not only to their own health, but also to the health of their babies.