Congenital malformations of infectious origin

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2025.122

Shipitsyna E.V., Bespalova O.N., Talantova O.E., Kogan I.Yu.
D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction, St. Petersburg, Russia

Infection of the fetus during organogenesis can induce teratogenesis and lead to pregnancy loss, the development of congenital anomalies or neonatal death. Although the impact of infectious factors on the incidence of congenital malformations is relatively low, infections that have teratogenic effects are a significant cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality on a global scale. The causative agents of the most common intrauterine infections with proven teratogenic effects are pathogens of the TORCH group (Toxoplasma, Others (Syphilis, Varicella-Zoster, Parvovirus B19), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes). In most cases, TORCH group infections are not dangerous to the mother, but can lead to very serious consequences for the fetus. Therefore, timely detection of infection in the mother and monitoring of the fetus are extremely important for competent counseling of women about possible adverse outcomes and measures to prevent them. The review presents the data from recent studies on the epidemiology of congenital malformations of infectious origin, mechanisms of infectious teratogenesis, principles of prevention and treatment of infections with teratogenic effects, and methods of prenatal prognosis.
Conclusion: The development of effective strategies for predicting, preventing, and treating congenital infections requires research at all levels, namely, basic, translational, clinical, and population-based ones. Further investments in global epidemiological surveillance are necessary to promptly identify new infectious teratogens.

Authors’ contributions: Shipitsyna E.V. – developing the concept and design of the study, literature search and analysis, writing the text, approval of the final version of the article; Bespalova O.N., Talantova O.E., Kogan I.Yu. – developing the concept and design of the study, literature search and analysis, editing the text, approval of the final version of the article.
Conflicts of interest: Authors declare lack of the possible conflicts of interest.
Funding: The work is based on the research project “Biomedical matrices of healthy motherhood and antenatal programming of the fetus” with the registration number 1024032800227-5-3.2.2.
For citation: Shipitsyna E.V., Bespalova O.N., Talantova O.E., Kogan I.Yu.
Congenital malformations of infectious origin.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2025; (9): 16-29 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2025.122

congenital malformations

infectious teratogenesis

TORCH infections

prenatal prognosis

Full text (in Russian)

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Received 07.05.2025

Accepted 03.09.2025

Elena V. Shipitsyna, Dr. Bio. Sci., Leading Researcher at the Department of Medical Mirobiology, D.O. Ott Reasearch Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology, 199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Mendeleyevskaya Line, 3, shipitsyna@inbox.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2309-3604
Olesya N. Bespalova, Dr. Med. Sci., Deputy Director, D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology, 199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Mendeleyevskaya Line, 3, shiggerra@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6542-5953
Olga E. Talantova, PhD, Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Cytogenetics and Cytogenomics of Reproduction, Obstetrician-Gynecologist of the Medical Genetic Center, D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology, 199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Mendeleyevskaya Line, 3, olga_talantova@mail.ru,
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3520-599X
Igor Yu. Kogan, Corresponding Member of RAS, Dr. Med. Sci., Professor, Director, D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology,
199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Mendeleyevskaya Line, 3, ikogan@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7351-6900
Corresponding author: Elena V. Shipitsyna, shipitsyna@inbox.ru

Congenital malformations of infectious origin

Shipitsyna E.V., Bespalova O.N., Talantova O.E., Kogan I.Yu.

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