Lyme disease and pregnancy...Is it possible?

[EricaO]

Hey guys! I am 27/F from McKinney, Texas and I am currently battling active Lyme. The Dr. that is treating me is also an OBGYN and he himself and his family has battled Lyme disease and are all now healthy thanks to very aggressive measures that were taken.

I am a newlywed and my husband and I are very much looking forward to having babies, and the obgyn said 12-18 months and I should be okay, he did want me to be on antibiotics during pregnancy though. Anyone that has been pregnant with Lyme?

Also, the Dr. treating me is convinced that he sexually contracted the Lyme from his wife that had been bitten, has anyone ever heard of anything like this?!?! I tried to research Lyme being a sexually transmitted disease but came up short.

What are your thoughts?

[Dont_tick_me_off]

i believe lyme is sexually transmitted. My Fiance also has it and i contracted it before i met him.

[PlateletGal]

I've read that the evidence is mounting that lyme (and some other illnesses) are not contagious, but communicable.

Prof. Garth Nicolson will be joining us again in MedHelp for a live webchat on Wednesday, May 20th from 12:00 - 1:00 PM (Pacific Time). He is the expert on this and you might want to consider joining in on the session and asking him your questions.

About Prof. Nicolson: http://www.immed.org/reachus.htm

[mrs_k75]

I have not been diagnosed with Lyme yet, but I had a bullseye rash on my wrist 20 years ago and suffer intermittent symptoms now for the last 12 years. If I do have Lyme then my pregnancy hasn't been affected nor has my baby that I know of yet. It also may be different if you are actively treating with antibiotics during pregnancy. The weird thing is that once I became pregnant all my symptoms were gone. Aside from hyperemesis (severe morning sickness) I felt great my migraine attacks went away, joint pain gone, no dizziness. My OBGYN said that happens sometimes as my immune sytem may have shut off. I also had a really easy and fast labor.

As for it being sexually transmitted I have no idea on that topic at all.

[JackieCalifornia]

Anecdotal evidence here:  I know someone who had untreated Lyme some years ago while pregnant, and her child had some physical birth defects that were effectively corrected by surgery, but otherwise is fine.  

[RaeJ]

I work for a world-known Lyme literate physician, and we have seen in our practice over and over mother-baby transfer of Lyme via the placenta and sexual contact spreading of Lyme.  Don't let the mainstream medical literature fool you.  Lyme is transmitted more ways than just from a tickbite.  

[patsy10]

I think the jury is out but.....lyme is very similar to syphilis and syphilis is definitely sexually transmitted.  I would think the possibility is there.  But what do I know??? I'm not a doctor either.

[wildthingsmom67]

Here are some websites you might find information you are looking for on some of them.
   www.lymefighters.org

http://www.lymedisease.org/lymetimes_archive/spring2004.pdf

http://www.lymediseaseresource.com/wordpress/

http://lymeblog.com/

http://strategic-living.blogs.com/

http://www.nclyme.org/symptoms.html

http://www.ilads.org/

www.lymediseaseassociation.org

www.emedicine.com/med/topic1346.htm

www.aldf.com/lyme.shtml

http://www.lymeinducedautism.com/

http://www.lymerights.org/

http://***************

www.turnthecorner.org

[jason80]

I'm no doctor, but I don't understand why Lyme could not potentially be transmitted similar to other illnesses picked up by babies -- as unfortunate as this may be. Hopefully, this is not the case. On a related note...

My LLMD volunteered that there is evidence of Lyme being transmitted sexually (IIRC, the evidence was Lyme found in semen).  LLMD mentioned no evidence of Lyme transmitted by kissing.  I never asked any IDs about their opions/evidence.  Lyme is hard enough to detect that I imagine reaching conclusions is that much more vexing regarding transmission among people.

It's an important topic that doesn't get much air time. I would be curious to hear what other others have heard regarding transmission to others (eg. sex, pregnancy, etc.)

[wildthingsmom67]

Here is a great website I found researching Sexual transmission

http://www.lymedisease.org/lymetimes_archive/spring2004.pdf  

[wildthingsmom67]

I have a beautiful little girl I became pregnant with when I finally got diagnosed with lyme.
She is five years old now.  I went on antibiotics in my third trimester of pregnancy because my infectious disease specailist did not know how to treat lyme ( or lyme with pregnancy.  I had to wait to get to LLMD.  She is very healthy and active, but has Selective Mutism.  Which is extreme shyness, Social anxiety, separation anxiety, and wont talk in school.  But speaks above her age level at home.

  She doesn't have any pain or related lyme symptoms.  But from what I read in ABC's or Lyme and a few other things it is possible that she could have undiseminated Lyme.  It could be causing Selective mutism.  There is a link with Lyme disease and Anxiety.

But doctors say it is hereditary so I am not sure what to make of it.  But I read treatment for lyme in pregnancy needs to be started in the first trimester in order not to pass in utero.

So If you get treatment from the begining of your pregnancy and throughout it should be fine.  But It is not easy.  It was a very difficult pregnancy.  I was also a high risk pregnancy and had to get ultra sounds every few weeks, because I miscarried before becoming pregnant with her.

I threw up every day, slept a lot, and had more pain.  My pain level for labor and delivery was 100 on a scale from 1- 10.  However it was worth it for my beautiful daughter.  She also had to be seen by specialist for her heart when she was born but it all turned out fine. I would wait until I got more treatment like your doctor said to hopefully prevent the sickness and pain of all of this.

[cindy903]

Just reviewed dr. Burrascano and he concurs w/ your doctor...Just take amoxy during pregnancy...But ask the doc to be sure. Since I am obviously not a doctor!!!

[cindy903]

Again, no research to confirm or deny that Lyme is transmitted via pregnancy or through sex.

I hope you don't let LD stand in the way of your happiness and having a child etc. Trust your doctor. I pray it all works out for you! I think it will. Have faith.