Infectious Diseases and Emerging Threats

Infectious diseases can pose serious risks during pregnancy for both the pregnant person and the baby. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine provides evidence-based guidance to help clinicians navigate these complex challenges.

This resource hub offers up-to-date information on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infectious diseases in pregnancy. Whether you're looking for clinical guidelines, provider FAQs, expert interviews, or patient education materials, you’ll find the tools you need here.

Featured Topics

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): SMFM's COVID-19 Task Force has led the development of clinical resources, education, and advocacy since the start of the pandemic.
• Dengue Fever: On June 25, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory (CDC HAN) to notify healthcare providers, public health authorities, and the public about recent increased risk of dengue virus infections in the United States.
• Emerging Threats: SMFM is monitoring the various emerging threats such as, Chikungunva, Cytomegalovirus, and more impacting clinicians and their patients.
• Hepatitis: SMFM has developed clinical resources and education pieces to support screening, treatment, and prevention efforts against Hepatitis.
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): Access helpful clinical suggestions, publications, education, and patient education resources.
• Human Parvovirus B19: On August 13, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory (CDC HAN) to notify healthcare providers, public health authorities, and the public about recent increases in human parvovirus B19 activity in the United States.
• Influenza: Access helpful clinical suggestions, publications, education, and patient education resources.

• Measles: Measles remains a serious threat to pregnant individuals due to its potential maternal and fetal complications. SMFM offers timely, evidence-based resources to support clinicians in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, and to equip patients with trusted educational tools.

• Monkeypox (Mpox):Access helpful clinical suggestions, publications, education, and patient education resources.

• Oropouche: On August 16, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory to notify clinicians and public health authorities of an increase in Oropouche virus disease, originating from endemic areas and in new areas in South America and the Caribbean.

• Respiratory Disease Season: SMFM is monitoring the latest on the 2025-2026 respiratory disease season. Although respiratory diseases can be circulated year-round, there are seasonal increases in infectious respiratory diseases in the fall and winter.

• Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Access helpful clinical suggestions, publications, education, and patient education resources.
• Syphilis: Access helpful clinical and partner resources, publications, and patient education resources.
• Vector-Borne Illnesses: Access helpful clinical suggestions, publications, education, and patient education resources.
• Wildfires and Air Quality: This alert has been issued in response to the California wildfires that began on January 7, 2025. These recommendations are applicable in broader climate change and wildfire settings.