Tuberculosis and Pregnancy

¹ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

We may therefore, draw the following conclusions from the present knowledge of pulmonary tuberculosis complicated by pregnancy:

1. Collapse therapy has definitely minimized the reactivation of pulmonary tuberculosis.

2. In well controlled tuberculosis it is safe to assure the mother to undertake the added responsibility of pregnancy.

Under my direction, extensive experimental and clinical research carried out by the members of the staff of the Polyclinic Hospital of Rio de Janeiro has brought to light the following observations:

1. Pregnancy in confirmed tuberculosis has lost the sinister gravity it held for ancient obstetricians.

2. Greater use of the methods of collapse therapy has destroyed the fear of pulmonary reactivation which was formerly held in the management of tuberculosis complicated by pregnancy.

3. Therapeutic abortion is a dangerous and unwise procedure in patients with active disease.

In regard to the expectant mother with advanced tuberculosis which is not amenable to any form of therapy, the main purpose must be to try to safeguard the life of the mother until such time as the fetus becomes viable, so that this new life may substitute for the one which succumbs to disease.

It is evident therefore, that these therapeutic principles form the basis of a powerful factor of social defense and constitutes one of the conquests of modern phtisiology.