Pregnancy is full of unexpected surprises.
Most of them are great, but unfortunately there are some surprises that are not so pleasant.
The truth is that pregnancy does have some complications sometimes, and those complications can be scary.
Listeriosis symptoms are one of those scary surprises.
However, it does not have to be.
Instead, by arming yourself with information you can understand what Listeriosis is and what you need to do if you develop it.
It is no surprise that during pregnancy you need to be aware of what you are putting into your body.
Listeriosis is one of the reasons that people are so careful about what they eat while they are pregnant.
Listeriosis is actually an infection that develops when you eat food that is contaminated with a specific bacteria.
When you have eaten food that is laced with Listeria monocytogenes you can get dangerously ill.
On average it can take as little as three days or as many as seventy days to develop symptoms once you have eaten the tainted food.
On average though the Listeriosis symptoms start to show up about twenty days after you have been infected.
Listeriosis symptoms can include a fever, nausea, diarrhea, and general aching.
If left untreated Listeriosis symptoms can progress to a more severe level like the development of meningitis or encephalitis.
Generally, pregnant women will simply experience traditional flu symptoms, but it can get more serious.
Listeriosis can infect the baby, cause a miscarriage, or even result in a stillbirth.
If Listeriosis is transferred to your child it can either show up immediately or it may take a bit of time to appear.
Instant Listeriosis symptoms can be general lethargy, non existent appetite, jaundice, vomiting, a rash, pneumonia or pressure in the baby's skull that is caused by meningitis.
Infants that develop late onset Listeriosis symptoms typically are diagnosed with meningitis.
Of course if you start to notice these symptoms you will instantly want to contact your physician to get you or your child properly diagnosed.
In order to make a proper diagnosis your doctor will probably run some tests.
Generally the labs are designed to see if the Listeria bacteria is present in any of the patients bodily fluids.
The testing is important so that you can ensure that you are getting the proper treatment.
When a diagnosis is made, the physician will take steps to treat the Listeriosis symptoms.
Generally, antibiotics are prescribed to kill the bacteria that is causing the infection.
More often than not after a course of antibiotics the infection and symptoms will subside.
In general with a proper diagnosis and treatment plan adults and older children have a high recovery rate.
Though there are some fatalities, in general that is due to complications and not seeking medical attention early enough.
However, the prognosis is a bit more tricky when it comes to a young infant or a fetus.
Unfortunately those Listeriosis symptoms can actually lead to a higher probability of death.
That is part of the reason that pregnant women should be careful about what they eat.
By paying close attention to what you put into your mouth you can avoid the risk of developing Listeriosis all together.
To truly protect yourself and your growing bundle of joy you will want to avoid animal contact with both wild and domesticated animals.
The good news is that in the United States most food products are well screened for bacteria, but you should be careful with fast food.
It is not unheard of to have tainted fast food that can lead to Listeriosis symptoms.
Additionally, you need to take care when pregnant not to eat deli meats and soft cheeses.
A general rule of thumb is simply to ensure that all of the food that you are eating has been properly cooked.
It it has been chances are that it is perfectly safe for you to eat.
Listeriosis symptoms can be very unpleasant, and the possible outcomes of an infection can be even more devastating.
However, this is where the good news comes in.
Now you know what Listeriosis is, how it is contracted, and how it can be avoided.
And that is the most important part.
You now know how to protect yourself and your bundle of joy against contracting the Listeria bacteria.
With this new found knowledge you can put your worries to rest, and instead focus on the more exciting aspects of your pregnancy like decorating the nursery!