Tuberculosis y embarazo, más allá de una infección

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease, chronic, transmitted by a microorganism called M. tuberculosis. The disease primarily affects the lungs, but can potentially compromise any organ of the human. TB is a public health problem that affects pregnant women worldwide. The most recent report of the WHO ?Global Tuberculosis Report? estimates that each year 9,6 million people become infected, of this 3.2 millions are mostly women in a reproductive age and 480,000 of these women die each year from TB. Pregnant women who acquire this infection, show a series of similar symptoms than in women who are not pregnant; but the diagnosis becomes a challenge due to a number of symptoms such as anorexia, fatigue, lethargy among another symtoms shared by the TB infection and pregnancy Although pregnancy by itself is not a predisposing factor for acquiring TB infection, the coexistence of both conditions leads to an increase in obstetric complications such as spontaneous abortions, perinatal mortality, preeclampsia, low birth weight among others, hence the rapid and effective treatment is vital to preserve the health of the mother and fetus.