Summary

Tuberculosis in pregnancy is possibly increasing in Western Europe due to a higher incidence in immigrant women from endemic regions. Common in recent immigrants. Diagnosis during pregnancy is delayed because the disease is more frequently extra-pulmonary with few symptoms and western doctors are no longer familiar with signs and symptoms of tuberculosis. We report the case of a 28-year-old woman presenting in the 13th week of pregnancy with vaginal bleeding, respiratory symptoms including persistent coughing and fever since 1 month. Diagnosis was delayed because of doubts on taking x-rays during pregnancy, and only 6 days after admission chest x-ray and blood-cultures led to diagnose miliary tuberculosis. Despite tuberculostatic medication expulsion of an infected fetus and placenta occurred. Histological examination of the placenta confirmed tuberculosis in the placental tissue.