In the Kingmaker campaign that I am currently running, our ruler has become inflicted with Lycanthropy by a Werewolf that had been plaguing the streets of their capitol city.
After reading the full descriptions of Lycanthropy, I realize that it is a debilitating disease that makes a character nearly unplayable in a society in which they are ruling a NG kingdom.
The players of my group have had the wonderful idea of getting their Baroness a Periapt of Health, which as we understand it will nullify the effects of the disease while she is wearing it.
Here's the fun part: she doesn't know yet that she is pregnant, as she has a thing going with Akiros, a fallen Paladin from earlier in the story. Here are my questions that require your help and input. :)
1. The Periapt of Health will stop the pregnancy in its tracks, but not cause a miscarriage, I would imagine. How would you handle this? Let's say she wears the Periapt for 15 years and then loses it; does her term continue from where it was frozen?
2. If so, in the meantime, if she takes serious damage and/or physical trauma should we worry about a miscarriage? Or does the Periapt remove any and all elements of the pregnancy while equipped, as if it were not there at all?
3. A different issue: if/when the child is born, how does Lycanthropy work with him/her?
I can see the Periapt of Health as suppressing the lycanthropy, but I don't see it as halting the pregnancy, as that's not a disease, whether supernatural in origin or ordinary.
I would think that the child would be either born lycanthropy free, or equally likely a natural lycanthrope, which is not a disease either, but a supernatural state.
To halt a pregnancy in its tracks like that, you'd need some variety of unaging magic. In the Pathfinder canon, the only thing that does that at the moment is the sun orchid elixir, which should, as a factor of preventing aging, also prevent the continuation of a pregnancy.
Yeah it would not stop the pregnancy and the child would be a natural lycanthrope, but that will not fully surface for many years.
Hmmm...as a fetus is medically in many ways a parasite, my group (which includes an Endocrinologist) felt the Periapt should affect pregnancy. I actually didn't expect anyone to disagree with that portion of it. That's what I get for assuming. :)
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Here's the fun part: she doesn't know yet that she is pregnant, as she has a thing going with Akiros, a fallen Paladin from earlier in the story. Here are my questions that require your help and input. :)
1. The Periapt of Health will stop the pregnancy in its tracks, but not cause a miscarriage, I would imagine. How would you handle this? Let's say she wears the Periapt for 15 years and then loses it; does her term continue from where it was frozen?
2. If so, in the meantime, if she takes serious damage and/or physical trauma should we worry about a miscarriage? Or does the Periapt remove any and all elements of the pregnancy while equipped, as if it were not there at all?
3. A different issue: if/when the child is born, how does Lycanthropy work with him/her?
Pregnancy is not a disease. She should carry to term normally and easily. PCs are heroes, so I wouldn't check for a miscarriage unless she takes massive damage or drops below 0 HP. Make her save as a massive damage fort save to avoid miscarriage separately for the baby. I'd call the child a natural lycanthrope after birth.
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I also am on the side that pregnancy is not a disease and should not be affected by the periapt.
It is a ridiculous concept for the fetus to be frozen in time, IMHO.
The infant should be a natural lycathrope, which can actually make a really cool PC, as natural lycanthropes can control their changes much better than afflicted.
As to miscarriage, I'd also say if she drops below 0 HP or takes massive damage to make a, say, DC 15 Fort save to keep from losing the baby. The save should be made in secret and she cannot chose to fail the save.
(Plenty of women got broken bones from throwing themselves down a flight of stairs via Scarlett O'hara style & didn't miscarry.)
Put me on the the "pregnancy isn't a disease" list.
Even if a fetus is clinically a foreign body, it doesn't mean that it is a "disease" as far as a fantasy world is concerned.
At least, the fact that there is a deity for pregnancy (of fertility) and a different (and usually axially and ethically opposed) deity responsible for diseases would support that.
'findel
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I have to chip in at this point to mirror the sentiment about the pregnancy. You are VERY right in that a pregnancy functions in many ways almost identical to that of a parasitic infection until such that that the gestation is complete.
However, I would not cause the periapt the abort, cease, pause, or otherwise stop a pregnancy. While the state of pregnancy does have quite a unique medical effect on the woman it is VERY much a natural thing.
In addition on the ruling of the child I would say it depends on when she GOT pregnant. If she already had the disease when it happened then I would agree with the above assessments that it would become a natural lycanthrope. If she however had access to this magic at the time of conception then the fetus should not be affected as long as she does not take it off. In this case it actually could be quite dangerous to the child as I personally doubt a fetus would even SURVIVE the process of becoming infected in the womb Alcohol and drugs can terminate a pregnancy I would certainly have to vouch that this would have many hundreds times more of a traumatic effect on the child than either of those two.
I think that a Periapt of Health is something that would be in high demand among pregnant women, both to ensure the health of the child and to ensure the survival of the mother. Think about the complications for a human pregnant with a centaur or a halfling pregnant with a human child.
As for the natural werewolves and infected ones and so forth, you need to figure out what disease model you're using for it.
Actually lycanthropy should not hinder the pregnancy, thats how you get naturaly lycanthrops :) By being born with Lycanthropy ;)
On the other hand the cult of Lamashtu would love to get their hands on her because of her "Monster" baby, and so too would Neutral Evil Druids because they would love the wherewolf Child as a "Child of Winter" one of the Death Cycle Creatures. So either cult may kidnap the mother to get the baby to raise as a monster - the former, and a hunter the latter. Then their is the Lawful Neutral Druids who would see the Lycanthrope as an Abomination of Nature, and the Neutral Good Druids who would see it as an Evil Abomination...
Just some Ideas :)
She wouldnt "turn" until puberty unless sufficiently traumatized or magicked ;)
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I do not feel that pregnancy is a disease.
I do not agree that the child is a natural lycanthrope, either. It is a fantasy game. This is a great, opportunity for roleplaying. This is also a great big built in Mcguffin waiting to happen.
An Oracle comes with a warning and a new prophecy.
Fun Fun Fun.
I do not feel that pregnancy is a disease.
I do not agree that the child is a natural lycanthrope, either. It is a fantasy game. This is a great, opportunity for roleplaying. This is also a great big built in Mcguffin waiting to happen.
An Oracle comes with a warning and a new prophecy.
Fun Fun Fun.
Oh ABSOLUTELY it's a great opportunity for roleplaying, that's the only real reason I brought it up here. This Baroness has had rumors abounding in her kingdom that the reason she has not taken an official consort is because she is barren, and this frustrates her so that's why she started "dating." I was thinking of her finally getting pregnant and - in the vein of a Shakespearean tragedy - not be able to have the baby due to her needing to not be a Werewolf. Self over baby, baby over self, the possibilities there are great.
I agree with the others, the periapt won't interrupt or hinder the pregnancy. There is a question of whether or not the periapt would prevent the unborn from contracting lycantrophy though.
...I hope for the sake of the Baroness that she's "Team Edward" ;) ;) ;)
Oh I see what you mean, sorry for not being clear there. She's definitely lycanthropic before becoming pregnant, and pregnant before getting the Periapt. So I think her kid is SOL either way.
No the kid would be a natural lycanthrope, thats how they breed, 1 or more parents being a lycanthrope passing on the lycanthropy to their offspring...
by the way... since this is a magickal disease... the child will be pre disposed to being the alignment of the disease. IE Chaotic Evil of the wherewolf. Sure most Orcs are Chaotic Evil, but you could conceivably rais one in Captivity and have it Lawful Good but a magickal creature is more elemental and is much harder to change its alignment. Especially a magickal disease. So for tips on raising such a child who might be more neutral untill the disease fully manifests at puberty... I reccoment watching "the Good Son"
with Mcaulay Calkin. Wonderful suspense/mild horror flick ;)
Alright several things:
Pregnancy isn't a parasitic infection -- In order for it to be so a foreign body must attack her system. The fetus isn't a foreign body -- it fully develops of her. The egg is part of her and the sperm isn't a living creature in and of itself. The life that develops matches the mother (as opposed to bot flies which do not match their host).
Also a parasite isn't a disease -- it's a creature.
Continuing lycanthropy is a supernatural affliction (curse type) not a disease in pathfinder. In addition nothing in the pathfinder bestiary or other states that a lycanthrope must be evil -- indeed in several places it's pointed out that they can be non-evil.
The child should be a natural lycanthrope which is not anywhere near the danger that an afflicted lycanthrope is -- and has much more control over itself -- please note that the section in the bestiary that covers lycanthropy specifically states that PCs should play natural lycanthropes because of this exact fact.
As a person who has suffered *2* miscarriages, pregnancy IS NOT a disease. It would not be affected by the Periapt.
I agree: result of pregnancy, natural lycanthrope.
I'm not so sure of the alignment issue, but that's just because I despise a required alignment for a sentient being.
And, given the situation, I'd say abortion is out of the question, too. (Not that I'd recommend it in ANY situation.)
I'd suggest taking the player aside and discussing it with her to see if she even wants to play this out. Personally, if it was me and you told me I had a choice like suspending the pregnancy or bearing a potentially 'cursed' child without a prediscussion, I'd probably beat you with the table, but that's just due to my personal background. Make sure *she's* OK with it first.
Pregnancy is not a disease. Not sure how you got that one.
Oh ABSOLUTELY it's a great opportunity for roleplaying, that's the only real reason I brought it up here. This Baroness has had rumors abounding in her kingdom that the reason she has not taken an official consort is because she is barren, and this frustrates her so that's why she started "dating." I was thinking of her finally getting pregnant and - in the vein of a Shakespearean tragedy - not be able to have the baby due to her needing to not be a Werewolf. Self over baby, baby over self, the possibilities there are great.I do not feel that pregnancy is a disease.
I do not agree that the child is a natural lycanthrope, either. It is a fantasy game. This is a great, opportunity for roleplaying. This is also a great big built in Mcguffin waiting to happen.
An Oracle comes with a warning and a new prophecy.
Fun Fun Fun.
Here's a solution pulled partially from 1st ed D&D's lycanthropy. The baroness has been infected with lycanthopy but the lycanthropy hasn't "set" due to it not being one full cycle of the full moon.
The midwife/oracle has two possible therapies, each of which has its own dilemma.
1. The baroness can chug a special alchemical philtre derived from wolfsbane. It will definitely remove the lycanthropy, but there's a chance she will not survive the poison. The baby will definitely not survive the poison except maybe by some miracle and even then it would be a sickly thing, crippled in mind or body if not both.
2. The baroness can don the periapt of health, which will suppress her own lycanthropy and also almost guarantee that the child will be born healthy and hearty. Unfortunately, the child will also be born a natural lycanthrope. The midwife does not know whether he would be naturally evil or just might grow to embrace that due to being treated as a monster and a pariah.
So, there are the baroness's choices--dead or at best sickly crippled brain damaged baby or healthy baby who may or may not be naturally evil but will definitely have a horrible social stigma. Surround her with "learned" councilors arguing for one course or the other and will forever after doing "I told you so" depending on her choice.
And there's also what her future child would say about her choosing to have him/her as a stupid crippled hunchback or a healthy werewolf.
Yes, the child is a natural Lycanthrope.
No, it doesn't have to be caotic evil.
Like the chosen of Selune, the child can choose true believer of a good moon diety. As a chosen, only the alignment aspect is stopped.
The alignment change only happens if they kill during the full moon.
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..but I don't see it as halting the pregnancy, as that's not a disease
Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment; but you humans do not. Instead you multiply, and multiply, until every resource is consumed. The only way for you to survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern... a virus.
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Notch one more up for 'Child born as natural lycanthrope'.
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Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment; but you humans do not. Instead you multiply, and multiply, until every resource is consumed. The only way for you to survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern... a virus.
[tangent] Also rabbits, deer, ants, squirrels, some species of plankton that grow to the point that they suffocate themselves and die. Agent Smith was woefully ignorant of basic biology... [/tangent]
And yeah, +eleventy bleem to the commentary about the Periapt not affecting a pregnancy. The egg is one of the woman's own cells, and remains attached to and dependent upon her systems until birth, so it's pretty much still 'her' up until that point.
While the effect is much the same as parasitism, I would imagine one would need a specific magical effect to target a fetus, and not be able to just use a cure disease.
There are no rules for when a born lycanthrope undergoes their first change, but I imagine puberty would be the logical choice. (Or something more mystical and less body-related, like their 21st birthday.)
Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment; but you humans do not. Instead you multiply, and multiply, until every resource is consumed. The only way for you to survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern... a virus.[tangent] Also rabbits, deer, ants, squirrels, some species of plankton that grow to the point that they suffocate themselves and die. Agent Smith was woefully ignorant of basic biology... [/tangent]
True.
..but until rabbits develop chainsaws I think we should focus on the monkey people!
If the ruler had tapeworm, it would be cured by Cure Disease, so I see no problem with the Periapt of Health affecting the pregnancy in whatever way would be most fun at the table.
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As a GM, here is my ruling on this matter.
If you thought babies are a parasite. You need to go take High school health class again... and you take a -2 to wisdom and intelligence until you retake the class and pass. Further, you suffer a -2 diplomacy with any parents.
For those of you with the wisdom to realize a child is not a parasite. You get a +1 permanent wisdom and intelligence boost. You also get a permanent +1 on your diplomacy check with parents.
Last, but not least. If you are a doctor, and you're in the 1st groups camp. Stay far, far away from my son. I don't need you "curing" us of his presence.
*Disclaimer: This was mostly tongue and cheek with some serious undertones.
I posted earlier about the baby but had a thought.
Has anyone pointed out yet that lycanthropy is not a disease it is a curse. And as such is not effected by the periapt of health, which really does not cure a disease anyhow it simply stops you from catching it. Nothing in it's description says it cures already contracted diseases.
So any way ya look at it the Periapt of health will not help your PC in this instance.
As a GM, here is my ruling on this matter.
If you thought babies are a parasite.
*Teenagers* Teenagers are parasites...
(Yes, all of them. No exceptions. Uh uh. These are the rules.)
GET A JOB AND CUT YOUR HAIR!1!1
In the Kingmaker campaign that I am currently running, our ruler has become inflicted with Lycanthropy by a Werewolf that had been plaguing the streets of their capitol city.After reading the full descriptions of Lycanthropy, I realize that it is a debilitating disease that makes a character nearly unplayable in a society in which they are ruling a NG kingdom.
The players of my group have had the wonderful idea of getting their Baroness a Periapt of Health, which as we understand it will nullify the effects of the disease while she is wearing it.
Not sure if lyvanthropy is a disease per se, described as a curse iirc. Pretty much everyone has chimed in with "pregnancy is not a disease".
For those who want to compare it with a parasitic "infection"; you're making assumptions about the nature of disease that may or may not hold. Is a parasitic infestation the same as a bacterial / viral infection? For that matter, is disease in a frpg "scientific" in nature? It's possesion by a disease spirit in my game btw. And, yes I'm aware of the changes that involves in curative magic type. I have fun with it. As an example, recurring fevers are disease spirits (fever) that have formed an attachment to a given character for example. I had one player who refused to be "cured" of his periodically recurring fever -- he had grown attached to her as well.
Here's the fun part: she doesn't know yet that she is pregnant, as she has a thing going with Akiros, a fallen Paladin from earlier in the story. Here are my questions that require your help and input. :)
If she doesn't know she's pregnant, but does know she is afflicted with lycanthropy I would wonder why a Remove Curse wasn't cast or Wolfsbane taken.
1. The Periapt of Health will stop the pregnancy in its tracks, but not cause a miscarriage, I would imagine. How would you handle this? Let's say she wears the Periapt for 15 years and then loses it; does her term continue from where it was frozen?
I could chant "not a disease" but many already have. Have her act on what she does know (i.e. take wolfsbane), not what she doesn't know (pregnancy). Plenty of angst / rp possibilities in that. Haunt her :) Sounds of crying babies and such... have the father be driven completely bonkers and go anti-paladin trying to kill his former lover the Baroness...
A different take on the subject:
- Thought 1:
You could go the Eberron route and make your worlds first "Shifter" - i.e., human with minor shapeshifting powers and bestial leanings. However, it doesn't sound like it fits within the mythic structure of your narrative (not to mention dipping into non-pathfinder material). But it definitely is a compromise. - Thought 2:
I went through the ever-amusing d20 Book of Erotic Fantasy's voluminous pregnancy and magic sections, but didn't find any good flavor items there for something quite of this nature :) So, failing that, a particularly motivated... and evil... player might suggest some sort of variation on a magic jar spell, something that involved switching souls of a pregnant commoner fetus and that of they lycanthropic child.Hmmm, another thought just occurred of a mundane variety... she could always just switch the physical baby or adopt another baby from somewhere, not telling the general populace of the deception. She could then either cast out or hide the first child. Of course, I'm sure THAT would never come back to haunt the NPC :). None of this strikes me as a "good" course of action though.
Has anyone pointed out yet that lycanthropy is not a disease it is a curse. And as such is not effected by the periapt of health, which really does not cure a disease anyhow it simply stops you from catching it. Nothing in it's description says it cures already contracted diseases.
Lycanthropy is a curse, but it functions as a supernatural disease. That said, you do make a good point; a periapt of health does not cure an already contracted disease, it simply prevents one from suffering any additional afflictions.
However, even if one were to rule that a periapt of health could actually cure disease, it would likely provide no benefit in this instance. The item is based of of the spell remove disease. This spell can be used to neutralize lycanthropy, provided the caster is of a high enough level, but only within three days of a character contracting the curse. It sounds as if the character in question has progressed far beyond that initial window. Remove disease, and any effects based on it, probably shouldn't be sufficient to cure the curse at this point.
I posted earlier about the baby but had a thought.
Has anyone pointed out yet that lycanthropy is not a disease it is a curse. And as such is not effected by the periapt of health, which really does not cure a disease anyhow it simply stops you from catching it. Nothing in it's description says it cures already contracted diseases.
So any way ya look at it the Periapt of health will not help your PC in this instance.
Yeah I did but late.
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I was wondering about calling lycanthrope a disease when it's a curse. I just figured I was wrong since everyone was calling it a disease.
Also - the lycanthrope won't have any presence at all until it manifests at puberty. Therefore, the child can be a completely normal person with no stigma attached. (Unless the secret gets out and people put two & two together - in which case it will only be a rumor, since there is no proof)
If the periapt of health doesn't suppress curses, then it shouldn't work for lycanthrope. You may want to point this out to your players before they spend the resources on this item.
Perhaps have whoever is making/selling the item mention it can only get rid of diseases, not any curses.
Hmmm...as a fetus is medically in many ways a parasite, my group (which includes an Endocrinologist) felt the Periapt should affect pregnancy. I actually didn't expect anyone to disagree with that portion of it. That's what I get for assuming. :)
If know of, in games that I have played before, it can be dealt with like a disease. However, otherwise it is not a disease.
Also, the child in my game would have a 40-70% chance of being a natural born lycanthropy unless both parents were lycanthropic.
Individuals born of lycanthropic parents but are not lycanthropic themselves are possible, as that is how the lycanthropic bloodlines are made.
Rules interpretation = RI
If there is no RAW then the GM can use RI
Now, turning into a monster during the full moon and committing a Caotic Evil murder is in RI the disease/curse getting worse. If the periapt is not going to work, during the full moon, it's time for the cage. The cage is tradition. Don't be hating on the cage. Children turning during their teens are also tradition. Before that there will be signs such as paranormal unibrow, hairy arms and legs, howling instead of crying, ect.
The infected mother will have a natural aversion to wolves bane. It may seem like an allergy. If you care to use science, the mother's body may protect the fetus from the wolves bane. Unless there is cross bleed, the fetus will not reinnfect the mother.
With royalty, it is not uncommon for someone to be sent to the oracle, with an honor guard and a bar of platinum. Of course, "The child will be healty as a wolf. He will be lord of 2 realms." may be misunderstood. It really means he is destined to be the next WereWolf Lord. He doesn't have to be caotic evil, but I referred to that earlier.
I think this is all RI, but if you must correct me, don't treat me like an idiot just because I never read Gary Gygax's personal diary.
Discover magazine observed that "A baby’s tissues would otherwise look to the mother’s immune system like foreign tissue and be quickly rejected."
Has anyone pointed out yet that lycanthropy is not a disease it is a curse. And as such is not effected by the periapt of health, which really does not cure a disease anyhow it simply stops you from catching it. Nothing in it's description says it cures already contracted diseases.Lycanthropy is a curse, but it functions as a supernatural disease.
This.
It is called a curse but lycantropy is cured by a remove disease or heal spell, not remove curve.
Therefore, I think it fills the supernatural disease tag better than a curse, as far as D&D "technical language" goes. I can see people of Golarion referring to lycantropy as a curse however...
'findel
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This.
It is called a curse but lycantropy is cured by a remove disease or heal spell, not remove curve.
Therefore, I think it fills the supernatural disease tag better than a curse, as far as D&D "technical language" goes. I can see people of Golarion referring to lycantropy as a curse however...
'findel
It is however a curse, not a disease*, it merely functions like a disease and the remove disease spell only works if cast very soon after infection and the periapt of health does not cure or suppress a disease anyhow, it merely keep you from getting one you do not already have
It just fails to address it on evey level. The periapt just simply does not work the way some folks seen to think it does.
*The core book lists it as a curse, not a disease, so for game effects it is indeed a curse that those spells just happen to effect and then only if cast by a 12th level or higher cleric with in 3 days of the infliction.
From a medical pov, cure disease is really a pretty basically formed idea......
I could go either way re: fetus as parasite vs. fetus as benign; it'd ultimately be up to the dungeonmaster.
However, I've never seen where "cure disease" could be interpreted, for instance, to kill all the benign bacteria that normally colonize the intestinal tract in a human being, thus throwing the system out of whack and enabling colonization by harmful bacteria therein as can occur during lengthy antibiotic regimens, ergo I think this would lend credence to the idea of cure disease behaving neutrally to a developing fetus.
It's not science; it's magic; I'd say it was up to the dungeonmaster whether cure disease provided prophylaxis against fertilization....
Discover magazine observed that "A baby’s tissues would otherwise look to the mother’s immune system like foreign tissue and be quickly rejected."
Oh yes. I wasn't go to bring this up but there is a hormone released that deliberately suppresses the mother's immune system regarding the foetus.
If this hormone was not released then the mother's body would react as if under attack by a foreign organism.
So, yes. Essentially babies are parasites..
..at least, as far as the host.. um, mother's immune system is concerned.
Fiancee standing behind me says: "A woman's body is likely to reject a fetus if it has a different RH blood type, let alone lycanthropy. Women with a negative blood type are required to have shots to prevent this from happening. And your body starts making anti-bodies to counteract the fetus' blood type as soon as it starts developing."
As a GM, here is my ruling on this matter.
If you thought babies are a parasite.
*Teenagers* Teenagers are parasites...
(Yes, all of them. No exceptions. Uh uh. These are the rules.)
GET A JOB AND CUT YOUR HAIR!1!1
No, they are just suffering from an Extraordinary form of reoccurring insanity (confused condition).
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On serious note, I would leave the question of the Periapt of Health's effect on the fetus to whichever deity's cleric created it in the first place. I would imagine various fertility deities would not allow for the creation of magic items that disrupt what is to them a natural and important part of their portfolio.
What does the deity in question consider a disease?
Just make sure it's not a Periapt of Health made by a cleric of Lamashtu, else you may end up with a werewolf baby for sure and likely something worse.
Remind the PCs that they have many options in this situation. If they have been managing their resources, they might have funds (in the form of BP) from the Barony that they could use, to buy a restoration spell/scroll/potion etc. Using their money in this fashion could have a negative effect for a few months (stability), but it would probably be a good risk to take.
Besides, having a preggers Ruler is just bad for business. :)
More evidence for cure disease being relevant:
"If you are Rh-negative, you may develop antibodies to an Rh-positive baby. If a small amount of the baby's blood mixes with your blood, which often happens, your body may respond as if it were allergic to the baby. Your body may make antibodies to the Rh antigens in the baby's blood. This means you have become sensitized and your antibodies can cross the placenta and attack your baby's blood. They break down the fetus's red blood cells and produce anemia (the blood has a low number of red blood cells). This condition is called hemolytic disease or hemolytic anemia. It can become severe enough to cause serious illness, brain damage, or even death in the fetus or newborn."
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/rhfactor.html
More evidence for cure disease being relevant:
"If you are Rh-negative, you may develop antibodies to an Rh-positive baby. If a small amount of the baby's blood mixes with your blood, which often happens, your body may respond as if it were allergic to the baby. Your body may make antibodies to the Rh antigens in the baby's blood. This means you have become sensitized and your antibodies can cross the placenta and attack your baby's blood. They break down the fetus's red blood cells and produce anemia (the blood has a low number of red blood cells). This condition is called hemolytic disease or hemolytic anemia. It can become severe enough to cause serious illness, brain damage, or even death in the fetus or newborn."
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/rhfactor.html
Lets remember that RPG =/= real life in every aspect.
Pregnancy is usually under the domain of deities of fertility and healing, while diseases are usually more entropic deities, usually with an axially opposed portfolio to that of deities of pregnancy...
If pregnancy was a parasite in Golarion, it would fall under the sway of such deities, but correct me if I'm wrong, is not the case.
*The core book lists it as a curse, not a disease, so for game effects it is indeed a curse that those spells just happen to effect and then only if cast by a 12th level or higher cleric with in 3 days of the infliction.
Indeed, but that's why I'd consider a Periapt of Health to repress it effects (without curing it) as it efficiently works as a cure disease spell.
But strictly speaking, you're right; I've not found any source that officially refers to lycantropy as a "supernatural disease".
It should be noted that deities of disease, such as Urgathoa, are often propitiated rather than worshipped, basically paying them protection reverence for them to withdraw the disease which they control, lessen its severity or otherwise allow them to survive.
It should also be noted that a disease that is 100% lethal and spreads quickly is an incredibly poor transmission vector. Urgathoa, if she's smart (and I'd say she is), would much prefer versions of lycanthropy that were not 100% sure, things that could lurk in gene pools and family trees. If the mother is cured and the baby is apparently fine but is in fact a carrier for lycanthropy which is in this version passed as a recessive, which a couple generations later may surface when cousins marry to preserve the royal line?
The Periapt of Health crafted by the clerics of Urgathoa might in fact be more useful than one created by those of another religion. If it suppresses the unpleasant symptoms of an incurable disease? Really useful.
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Regarding parasitism:
from Wikipedia, I think this passage is useful.
"Although the concept of parasitism applies unambiguously to many cases in nature, it is best considered part of a continuum of types of interactions between species, rather than an exclusive category. Particular interactions between species may satisfy some but not all parts of the definition. In many cases, it is difficult to demonstrate that the host is harmed. In others, there may be no apparent specialization on the part of the parasite, or the interaction between the organisms may be short-lived. In medicine, only eukaryotic organisms are considered parasites, with the exclusion of bacteria and viruses. Some branches of biology, however, regard members of these groups as parasitic."
Also, there's a continuum of risk/benefit analysis i.e.
it's risky to carry a fetus for 9 months, but the payoff is you get to pass on your genetic material; ergo the "parasitism" does actually have a considerable payoff, the importance of which would arguably point towards the relationship between mother and fetus to be more symbiotic in nature than strictly parasitic.