TORCH: a literature review and implications for practice.

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Neonatal Nursing

Background:

• Perinatal infections caused by TORCH (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes virus) present significant challenges in maternity and neonatal care.
• Understanding transmission routes, congenital defects, and infection incidence is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the major issues surrounding TORCH perinatal infections for maternity and neonatal nurses.
• To describe transmission, congenital defects, incidence, and effects of primary versus recurrent maternal TORCH infections.
• To discuss nursing implications for prenatal, intrapartal, and neonatal care, including infection control and breastfeeding concerns.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of current knowledge on TORCH perinatal infections.
• Description of general and congenital transmission modes.
• Analysis of fetal/neonatal effects based on maternal infection status (primary vs. recurrent).

Main Results:

• TORCH infections can lead to various congenital defects and have significant fetal/neonatal effects.
• Primary maternal infections generally pose greater risks than recurrent infections.
• Effective nursing interventions are vital throughout the prenatal, intrapartal, and neonatal periods.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive nursing strategies are essential for preventing and detecting TORCH infections during the perinatal period.
• Early detection and management of TORCH infections can mitigate adverse neonatal outcomes.
• Nurses play a critical role in infection control and addressing breastfeeding concerns related to maternal TORCH infections.