Introduction: The number of people suffering from tuberculosis has increased rapidly in the whole world over the past three decades. The classical age distribution of disease has also changed. According to the epidemiological data the number of pregnant women having tuberculosis has also risen with the resulting increase in the incidence of perinatal tuberculosis.
Pregnancy and tuberculosis: The presentation of tuberculosis in pregnancy varies. The effects of tuberculosis on pregnancy depend upon various factors: site and extent of the disease. nutritional status and immune status of mother, concomitant diseases, stage of pregnancy when the treatment started and others. A delay between the onset and diagnosis occurs regularly. Treatment response, time to clearance of bacilli from sputum. and prognosis are similar to non pregnant women.
Prinatal tuberculosis: Perinatal tuberculosis is extremely rare if the mother is effectively treated in pregnancy. but disease is usually fatal if untreated. Diagnosis of perinatal tuberculosis is very often problematic and difficult. The reason of this is the fact that the initial manifestations of disease are nonspecific and may be delayed. In practice, congenital and early neonatal infections have almost the same mode of presentations, treatment and prognosis. Epidemiological data on the active tuberculosis in mother or some other family member are of the utmost importance in diagnoing tuberculosis. Differences in immune responses in the fetus and neonate add to the diagnostic difficulties already recognised in young children. Tuberculin tests are negative in at least 75% of cases.
Conclusion: If the condition is recognised and treated according to existing tuberculosis protocols, the outcome is favourable.