Hello
Thanks for writing to DoctorSpring.com with your health concern.
BV has a propensity for recurrence in more than 30 % of cases, so I understand your frustration but it happens often.
You need to relax , as stress compounds this issue.
Also, you are probably being given topical therapy apart from Flagyl for the first time, I believe this will help in elimination.
Treatment of BV definitely improves the incidence of adverse outcomes such as PROM and preterm labour.
Relax again, stress is implicated in occurrence of PROM and preterm labour too!
Would be glad to answer any follow-ups. Take care.
Patient replied :
I am in my second trimester and am usually vigilant on proper food handling procedures; however, today I was rushing to make lunch and made a big mistake. I handled raw ground chicken with my bare hands then after cooking it, made a sandwich and ate it. I never washed my hands. Now, I am worried I have exposed my unborn baby to something that could cause stillbirth. Should I be worried or is the risk minimal to none? I don't know what I was thinking; I removed the frozen chicken from the package with my bare hands then removed the paper lining from the chicken with my hands before cooking the product. I never sanitized my hands between this stage and eating. I am worried because this has been a difficult pregnancy and I don't want to create any risks.
Thanks for writing to us again.
Well, yes, you did slip up.
It would be wrong on my part to say that you are not at any risk, and it would be needless to alarm and scare you.
Doing this once, the risk exists, but is minimal. On one time exposure the incidence is very less.
Particularly since I assume the raw meat was well sterilized and well frozen at requisite temperatures.
Without proper hand washing after handling raw meat and poultry, you do run the risk of acquiring various food borne illnesses.
You should feel the symptoms within a few days if this has happened.
I would reassure you and say that as a once - off slip up by a vigilant person, the risk is minimal, not none.
Do be very cautious in the future though.
Feel free to discuss further.
Regards
Patient replied :
Thank you for your reply. If you don't mind me asking, what illnesses am I at risk of getting? What effect would they have on my baby? What symptoms should I watch for? I am currently having gas-type pains but this could be because I had not had meat in a while.
Hello.
Typical illnesses include - salmonellosis, listeriosis, campylobacter, toxoplasmosis.
Effects on the baby, if you contract the disease, range from mild growth restriction to the other range of the spectrum - birth defects or stillbirth.
Symptoms would include - diarrhoea, vomiting, flatulence, headache, body ache, fever etc. The flatulence you have is harmless and does not mean you have any of these infections.
This link would help you -
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09372.html
The purpose is to make you aware, not to scare you.
Your odds of contracting anything are remote.
Take care.