What should a pregnant woman do if bitten by a tick with Lyme disease? - briefly
Remove the tick promptly with fine tweezers, then contact an obstetrician or urgent‑care provider for immediate assessment and appropriate antibiotic therapy, usually oral amoxicillin, since doxycycline is contraindicated in pregnancy.
What should a pregnant woman do if bitten by a tick with Lyme disease? - in detail
When a pregnant patient discovers a tick attached, the first step is to extract the arthropod promptly. Use fine‑point tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull upward with steady pressure. After removal, clean the bite area with antiseptic and keep the tick in a sealed container for identification if needed.
Contact a healthcare professional without delay. The clinician will examine the bite, note the duration of attachment, and assess the risk of Borrelia infection. Laboratory testing may include serology for Lyme disease and, if the tick is identified as infected, a prophylactic antibiotic course may be indicated.
For pregnant individuals, doxycycline is contraindicated. Recommended regimens are oral amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily for 14 days, or, if allergic to penicillins, cefuroxime 500 mg twice daily for the same period. The chosen drug should begin within 72 hours of the bite to reduce the likelihood of disease progression.
Follow‑up serologic testing is advised at 4–6 weeks after exposure and again at the end of the pregnancy to confirm the absence of infection. Positive results warrant obstetric consultation and possible extended antimicrobial therapy.
Obstetric monitoring should include routine ultrasound examinations to evaluate fetal growth and wellbeing. Any signs of maternal illness, such as fever, rash, or joint pain, must be reported immediately, as they may signal disseminated infection requiring intensified treatment.
Preventive measures remain essential: wear long sleeves and trousers in endemic areas, treat clothing with permethrin, apply EPA‑approved repellents, and perform daily tick checks. Early removal dramatically lowers transmission risk and protects both mother and fetus.