[TORCH infections in mothers as a cause of neonatal morbidity].

When possible, diseases by expectant mothers and newborns, like long-term disabilities also, should be prevented by establishing early diagnoses, evaluation and implementation adequate therapy. The major goal of medical care is prevention of disorders with provision of adequate prenatal care for the expectant mother and precautions regarding the exposure to teratogenic infections. The range of pathological conditions produced by infections agents is wide, and the difference between maternal and fetal effects caused by any one agent is also important. Some maternal infections, especially during the early gestation, can result in fetal loss or malformation because the ability of the fetus to resist infectious organisms is limited and the fetal immunologic system is unable to prevent the disemination of infectious organisms to the various tissues. These infections are responsible for significant congenital neonatal morbidity as for as compromises a child's quality of life and infertility and sterility. One group of microbial agents--generally known as TORCH infections can cause remarkably similar manifestations, and is uncommon to test all when a prenatal infection is suspected. We analysed the practice of TORCH analyses with our patients and their mothers during last year (1999th) at the Pediatric Clinic and Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrition-UCC Tuzla. At this time there were 5.028 deliveries. Out of short figure 544 or 10.8% newborns were early born and 245 or 4.8% were hypotrophic and 62 were still-born or 12.3 from 1000 deliveries. TORCH infection was analysed only in few cases. In the same period there were 3.457 children treated at the Pediatric Clinic in Tuzla. Only in 20 cases or 0.58% TORCH was made. Three or 15% were with remarkable sequeles like microcephaly, cerebrospinal liquid abnormality, seizures, hepatomegaly, cirrosis etc. TORCH analysis was made with all mothers. Only one was serologic CMV positive and we started with the therapy. History of four mothers or 20% have data about spontaneous abortions, and in other four or 20% we found data about early deliveries. The prevention of conatal infections was not made by any one. In our small group we made TORCH because of evident problems that were suspected of conatal infections. We concluded that there is a big risk of untreated maternal infections with women in fertile age in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This problem is not enough present in our medical practice.