Tuberculosis or TB is a disease caused by infection. An infectious disease, TB affects lungs in primary stage and then spreads through the bloodstream and infects other parts of the body. TB of the uterus is caused in the lining of uterus. Pelvic TB or genital tuberculosis is caused when the infection spreads from the fallopian tubes to the uterine lining.
What causes Uterus Tuberculosis (TB)?
Tuberculosis is not a genetic disease as it is caused by infection when someone comes in contact with active TB patient via cough, sneeze or spit that releases bacteria in the air. In such case, TB bacteria may affect a pregnant woman if she comes in contact with such a person. TB bacteria enters in the lungs of a woman first and then affects her genital organs after some time. Infection starts from woman's fallopian tubes and then spreads down to the uterus. The uterine TB is widely spread in India and according to the research, approximately 17 percentage of women with lung TB gets affected with the uterus and pelvic TB.
Signs of TB of the uterus
There are no evident symptoms for TB in uterus as the bacteria of TB remains hidden for nearly 10 to 20 years in body of infected person. You can find some sign to identify the TB of uterus such as disturbance in menstrual cycle, abrupt loss in weight, pelvic pain, fever for a long time, infertility and vaginal discharge. Diagnosis of genital tuberculosis becomes difficult as there are no clear symptoms initially. Your doctor can advice you further test if required.
Treatment of the Uterus Tuberculosis (TB)
If you take necessary treatment during initial stage of TB, it will not be harmful and uterus may be cured completely. A person can recover from TB if he takes healthy diet and enough rest. There is anti-tubercular therapy or ATT, which is an effective anti-TB medicine used in treatment of Tuberculosis. TB in the initial stage cannot be diagnosed easily. If a pregnant women is found TB positive, it is very essential to take proper treatment. You should consult expert doctor because it is necessary to take proper care as some medicines may affect your baby.
Very effective anti-TB medication, known as anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) is now available to treat the infection. The duration of your treatment may range from six to nine months, depending upon the stage in which the infection has been diagnosed. Before starting anti-TB medicines, you need to make sure that it is really TB bacteria because anti-TB medicines kills TB bacteria and may harm your baby. If fallopian tube gets damaged from infection, the treatment cannot repair it, but can give relief from fever or pelvic pain or vaginal discharge.
Care for TB of the Uterus during Pregnancy
Pregnant women need more care to protect her baby in case of the Uterine TB. She should take more healthy diet and regular medicine as prescribed by doctor. She should make schedule for her diet under guidance of health consultant. Her diet needs more nutrition specially vitamins.
After birth of baby, you must consult your doctor before feeding the baby, if TB is not cured completely. Do not breastfeed the baby in such condition without consulting the doctor. It is also essential to keep your newborn away, to protect her from any infection as newborn have tendency to catch infection quickly. The baby needs to be vaccinated on time to protect her from any infection.
Side Effects of Medicine in TB
You need to take regular medicine in the TB of the uterus during pregnancy. In such case, some women face side effects of medicines. They experience food aversion, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, etc. It is not possible to stop or avoid medicines due to such side effects therefore you need to take advice of your doctor without any delay.
Keeping yourself stress free, eating healthy diet, avoiding unhealthy habits, gaining sufficient weight and developing your resistance power to destroy bacteria of TB from your body completely will help you keep the baby safe in the womb.