Can norovirus infection affect my 7-month pregnancy?

Question

Hello doctor,

Our entire household has been hit with what I think is norovirus, and it is absolute chaos. It started with my 6-year-old throwing up at school yesterday, and now my husband, our toddler, and I are all violently ill. The vomiting is constant, can not keep anything down, not even water, and the diarrhea is horrible. My husband has vomited 12 times in the past 5 hours. The toddler is restless and refusing to drink. I am seven months pregnant and terrified about getting dehydrated. I am scared for my unborn baby. We are changing sheets hourly and running out of clean towels. Please tell me,

How do we break this cycle?
When should we go to the emergency?
Does my pregnancy put me at higher risk?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Here is a simple and clear guide to help you manage this norovirus outbreak at home and know when to seek urgent care, especially being seven months pregnant.

When to go to the emergency: If you notice the following changes, you might need to go to the emergency on priority.
You can not keep any fluids down for more than six to eight hours.
You have dizziness, very dark urine, or no urination for more than eight hours.
Your toddler is very drowsy, not making tears when crying, or has no wet diaper in six to eight hours.
Your husband continues vomiting nonstop (12 times in five hours is serious).
Anyone who has blood in vomit or stool, or a high fever (over 103 degrees Fahrenheit).

You can take the following steps for prevention,

As a pregnant woman, take tiny sips (one to two teaspoons) of oral rehydration solution. (ORS, or a homemade combination of water, salt, and sugar) every five minutes.
Avoid big gulps as they trigger more vomiting.
You can give your daughter ice chips or small sips of ORS.
If your husband’s vomiting does not slow down soon, he may need intravenous fluids.
Try anti-nausea medication like ondansetron for your husband.

Cleaning tips for your household include

Clean vomit and stool with a bleach solution.
Wash hands often with soap and water (hand sanitizer is not enough for norovirus).
Use gloves if possible when cleaning.
Wash soiled laundry in hot water and dry on high heat.

Remember, dehydration in pregnancy can cause contractions or affect the baby. So, you must monitor your fluid intake.

I hope this information helps you.

Feel free to ask further queries.

Thank you.