Deworming During Pregnancy: Neonatal Mortality

Introduction 

There are thousands of types of worms all around the world. And among them are hundreds of worms that can infect human beings. Worms enter the human body in many ways, multiplying and dividing. This ends up causing the infected individual to become extremely sick. Hence, deworming is done to remove parasitic worms from the intestines of the human body. Deworming also helps you avoid many diseases, as these worms suck the nutrition out of the food. 

This blog will educate the readers on the causes, types, techniques and side effects of deworming, specifically in pregnant women and how it affects neonatal mortality rate. 

What is Deworming

Worms can live up to 17 years in the human body. Even if they are not life-threatening in most instances, they can lead to anaemia. In most cases, they cause vomiting and diarrhoea, sometimes with traces of blood. Deworming is a way to eradicate intestinal worms (parasitic worms) by using an anthelmintic pill, which kills them. It is usually done by ingesting tablets. Everyone doesn’t need to deworm. But it’s advised for people who live in rural areas and individuals who show symptoms of intestinal worms. 

How does one contract Helminths 

There are various ways to contract parasitic worms, otherwise known as helminths. There are several parasitic worms, but the type of worms commonly found in humans are flatworms and roundworms. Once the larvae of these worms enter the body, they travel to the intestine, hatching and growing in size.

Eventually, they develop organs, including reproductive organs with a massive reproductive range, actively feeding on the host. They can grow in size exponentially. Most of them are longer than 1 millimetre, and some even longer than 1 meter, depending on their stay in the body. This is when the symptoms begin to develop. 

Some of the common ways that one can contract worms are : 

• Through contaminated water and food: These worms lay eggs in unclean water or soil, contaminating them. The eggs then enter the body through unwashed vegetables having traces of these soils and by drinking the contaminated water. Some tiny eggs are even airborne. 

• Unwashed hands: When an infected person doesn’t wash their hands properly after defecation, they leave behind larvae or eggs (which exit through their faeces) on surfaces or objects unknowingly. These eggs are so small that some cannot even be seen with the naked eye. They infect other people (through the contaminated surface) as the eggs find a way to enter another healthy person’s body, eventually infecting them.

• Eating uncooked meat: Sometimes, the larvae of worms are found in intermediate hosts like fish, cow or pig. When a person consumes this raw meat infested by the larvae, they get infected with worms eventually as these eggs hatch inside them. 

• Worms from pets: Even though getting infected by worms from pets is rare, it isn’t impossible. 

Symptoms of Intestinal Worm Infection 

Most people with intestinal worm infestation don’t exhibit any symptoms. However, in severe cases of infestation, the symptoms may vary depending on the type of worm that the person has been infected with. The most common symptoms for all intestinal worms include,

• Live worms in feces
• Fever
• Severe stomach or abdominal pain
• Cough
• Fever 
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of weight
• Malnourished
• Bloating
• Reduced appetite
• Fatigue 
• Itching around the rectum or vulva
• Dysentery

In prolonged cases of tapeworm infestation, the eggs might even develop into cysts, further causing harm to the organs.

Uses and side effects of Deworming tablet 

Deworming tablet is used for Colon And Rectum Cancer, Parasitic Infections, Worm Infections and skin disorders. It is mainly used to treat intestinal worms. They kill the parasite in the intestine and, in most cases, release them through excretion.

Mebendazole or Albendazole is an anti-parasitic drug called anthelmintic used to treat parasite worm infections like pinworm, whipworm, roundworm, hookworm, and other parasites.

Take the tablets as instructed by your physician, and it is always recommended to take it after food as it might reduce the symptoms of side effects like

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

It is better to avoid alcohol when consuming deworming medicine.Aspirin-containing medicines should also be avoided as they can have side effects while the deworming tablet is still in the system.

In case of vomiting within 30 minutes of taking the deworming medicine, the person should be given one more tablet. Depending on the scale of worm infestation, the physician might recommend two or three courses of tablets (once in two to three weeks). 

Deworming during Pregnancy and its reaction on infants

It is observed that a large number of women are anaemic during Pregnancy, and this is the leading cause of many medical concerns, like

• pre-term birth
• maternal morbidity
• low birth weight of the child
• poor iron content in the infant
• maternal mortality
• Intra-uterine growth restriction

Intestinal worms in pregnant women can be alarming as they cause anaemia, malnutrition and iron deficiency. This happens as the worms suck the nutrients from the pregnant woman, thus also making the child malnourished once it’s born.  

In the past, deworming treatment was considered unsafe for women during Pregnancy due to the uncertainty of the effects and safety of the medicine on the mother and the child (post-birth).But in recent times, it has been proven that deworming medicines given to pregnant women after the first trimester are entirely safe for the mother and unborn child. 

Furthermore, it decreases the neonatal fatality rate. Deworming of the pregnant woman reduces the chance of the child dying within the first four months of birth. There is also a decline in the low birth weight of the infant when the mother is observed to take deworming medication (anthelminthic) during Pregnancy. 

Pregnant women must consult with a doctor before taking deworming medication as it might have non-identical effects on each individual. 

Side effects of deworming during Pregnancy

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Rash
• Abdominal pain

Conclusion

Worm infestation is commonly seen among people, and in most cases, it resolves independently. If the symptoms persist, it is advised to take medication that helps kill the worms inside the body without harming the individual and eliminates them from the body through excretion. It is observed that worm infestation is safe in pregnant women after the first trimester, increasing its benefits in neonatal care. It is advised to consult a doctor before taking any medication. 

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