INFPREG www.infpreg.se (or www.infpreg.com) is an interactive, non-commercial Internet database containing the most current multidisciplinary information concerning infectious diseases during pregnancy.

Background

Infections during pregnancy are common and vary from seemingly harmless upper respiratory disease to serious infections threatening the health of the mother and/or child. Aside from the fact that several of these complications only occur infrequently, the very rapid development in the field contribute to the difficulties that doctors and midwives face in trying to keep up with the most current information in microbiological diagnosis, treatment, follow up and not least preventive measures.

INFPREG

In order to meet the need for up-to-date and easily accessible computerized information, INFPREG, which is based on various authors’ knowledge and experience, was started in 1999 at Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. The site is non-commercial and available both to medical personnel and to the public in general. The information contained in the website may be used for projects or teaching purposes, provided that the source of information is cited. 
The information is in Swedish and presented in two versions: one for medical personnel and one for the general public. In addition, there is an interactive password protected Q&A facility for medical personnel. All chapters are updated yearly on a routine basis. User feedback and scoring are used as basis for improvement of the database.

The concept

INFPREG is based on multidisciplinary information. Authors, from all over Sweden, representing different disciplines collaborate in the project and form expert panels for the different topics. The website consists of 36 separate chapters on different infectious disorders as well as advice on the use of antibiotics and vaccines during pregnancy. There are at present >90 authors representing 14 areas of speciality (obstetrics, neonatology/paediatrics, microbiology – clinical bacteriology, virology and parasitology, infectious diseases, respiratory medicine, dermatology-venereology, ophthalmology, audiology, hospital infection control, epidemiology, infectious control on central and regional level, vaccinology) that take part in the project.

The chapters include information on causable agent, epidemiology worldwide and in Sweden, clinical picture in the mother and child, transmission and risk to the foetus/child, microbiological diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures. The last section contains advice on handling different clinical situations according to Swedish experience and conditions. Revised links to adequate and complementary information and regulations that are available on the Internet are given in the text and in References.

News and policy topics in the field including comments can be found in an editorial page.

In the Q&A facility there are >250 questions-answers which are accessible to the visiting medical personnel. A data bank of case reports & comments is available.

Use of INFPREG as a tool in patient care

Since 2002 there has been a steady increase in the number of visitors to INFPREG, see statistics on the opening page. See also the published paper: Evaluation of an Internet-based database on infectious disorders during pregnancy: INFPREG. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2003;82:116-119 Read the abstract (PubMed)

About us:

Editorial board in Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Huddinge Stockholm:

• Helene Bernmark-Liikamaa, Midwife, the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecolology
• Karin Petersson, Editor-in-chief, M.D, Ph.D, Head of Obstetrics
• Magnus Westgren, M.D., Professor in Obstetrics
• Marius Kublickas, M.D, Ph.D, Specialist in Obstetrics, Webmaster
• Eleonor Tiblad, M.D. Ph.D., Specialist in Fetal Medicine
• Lars Navér, M.D, Ph.D, Specialist in Neonatology
• Kristina Broliden, M.D, Professor in Infectious Diseases
• Marie Studahl, M.D., Ph.D, Specialist in Infectious Diseases
• Berit Hammas, M.D.,Specialist in Clinical Microbiology/Bacteriology
• Marianne Forsgren, M.D, Ph.D, Emeritus, Former head of Department of Clinical Virology

The contribution of former members of the editorial board: Marie Sjödin, and Cecilia Brolinger, both Midwives at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecolology is greatfully acknowledged.

 INFPREG is a non-profit undertaking dependent entirely on its authors’ and editors´extremely generous and purely voluntary participation.

Funding has been provided by Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset for staff, internet and website services; and 2018 a grant from Stockholm County Council for e.g. the upgrading of the website system.

Internet address: www.infpreg.se      (or www.infpreg.com)
e-mail address: infpreg.karolinska@sll.se                     

Mailing address:
INFPREG,
K57
Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Huddinge
SE-141 86 Stockholm
Sweden
Tel: +46 8 58 58 14 50
Fax: +46 8 58 58 75 75