Ophthalmia neonatorum

Signs and symptoms  

• Drainage from the eyes
• Swelling of the tissue layer around the eyelids  

Infants with these symptoms should have gonorrhea and chlamydia testing using a sample from the eyelids.

How it spreads

It is possible to give ophthalmia neonatorum to newborns during childbirth if their mother has an active gonorrhea or chlamydia infection.    

Prevention

You can help stop your babies from getting this infection. The law in North Carolina (PDF) states that all pregnant women must be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea at their first prenatal visit. Pregnant women who are 25 years old or younger should also be tested again during the third trimester of pregnancy. If this test is not done during the third trimester, it should be done at delivery.  

If a mother has gonorrhea at childbirth, then her newborn(s) should get medical treatment right away to prevent an eye infection. 

Local health departments provide many preventive and reproductive health services for women. These services are available regardless of income, and fees are based on how much a person can afford to pay. Contact your local health department to learn more.

More ways to lower your chances of passing on this bacterium to your baby include:  

• Using condoms during sexual contact  
• Avoiding sexual contact with someone with an open sore on their genitals or groin  
• Limiting your number of sexual partners  
• Getting tested for STIs with your partner(s)  

Treatment and recovery  

Ophthalmia neonatorum must be treated right away per CDC treatment guidelines for eye infections caused by chlamydia and/or gonorrhea to save the baby's eyesight.