Anaphylaxis in pregnancy: a rare cause of neonatal mortality
- 1Department of Pediatrics, Central Hospital of Funchal, Funchal, Portugal
- 2Department of Pediatrics, Maternidade Dr Alfredo da Costa, Lisbon, Portugal
- 3Department of Pathology, Maternidade Dr Alfredo da Costa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Correspondence to Dr Alberto Berenguer, berenguer.alberto{at}gmail.com
Summary
Anaphylaxis is a rare condition in pregnancy. Drugs are the aetiological agents most often implicated. Maternal anaphylaxis can lead to significant fetal morbidity and even mortality if uterine perfusion and maternal oxygenation are compromised. Significant risk of neonatal neurological damage or death can occur even when the maternal clinical outcome is favourable. The authors present the case of a newborn, born at gestational age of 29 weeks, who died at 11 days of life with hypoxic–ischaemic cerebral injuries as a consequence of maternal anaphylaxis following the administration of amoxicillin in the community setting.
