Abstract
BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases during pregnancy can pose a serious health risk for mother and child. Employees with an occupational risk of infection are especially at risk. We investigated the immune status of pregnant employees working in the health service to determine the percentage of women who were adequately protected during pregnancy and the percentage of cases with a pregnancy-relevant risk. METHODS: This retrospective data collection was done using the standard records of the Occupational Health Department ( Betriebsärztliche Dienststelle ) of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. The data of employees with a pregnancy reported between 1 May 2018 and 31 May 2020 were collected. This resulted in a total study population of 406 cases. We collected data on the respective occupational groups, occupational risk profile, employment bans for expectant mothers, occupational-medical consultations, and immunity status with regards to measles, mumps, rubella, varicella zoster virus, parvovirus B19, CMV, hepatitis A and B, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, and poliomyelitis. RESULTS: The investigated employees had attended a mean of three previous occupational-medical consultations; 45.8% had received advice about maternity protection from the occupational physician's office. The immunity rates of the total study population at the time of their last medical consultation prior to their due date varied, depending on the respective disease, from 77.3% (mumps) to 90.9% (varicella zoster virus). 182 cases (44.8%) were prohibited from working during their further pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Medical advice on infection risks and immunization combined with the offer of vaccinations are decisive in determining the immune status and ensure that immunizations can be carried out in good time. To achieve full immunization before becoming pregnant, girls and women should be advised early on about preventive maternity protection measures.