Are pregnant women at increased risk for acquiring infections? Are pregnant women with
infection at increased risk for severe disease? During pregnancy, several mechanical
and pathophysiological changes occur (e.g., a decrease in respiratory volumes and
urinary stasis due to an enlarging uterus), and immune adaptations are required to
accommodate the fetus. In this article, we review and synthesize new knowledge
about the severity of and susceptibility to infections in pregnant women.