TORCH

The TORCH syndrome is a group of infections that could harm the unborn baby during pregnancy. There is a possibility that the infection spreads through the mother's blood to the unborn child. Since the fetus is in a development stage, the immune system will not be able to fight it off. This can cause serious birth defects in the child and can also lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, and worse mental development. Women often get the TORCH screening test at their first prenatal visit but this test may also be done on newborn babies to diagnose any possible infections.