Any Dr’s or O&G? Question re slapped cheek syndrome.....

[April229]

I’ll try and keep this brief.

At 24 weeks pregnant my DD had slapped cheek syndrome- she was super clingy so there is no doubt i have been fully exposed.

Called midwife for advice - recommended to ask GP for blood test. Had bloods taken last Friday - they have lost the bloods and lost the results and booking bloods were not sent for a check.

They have made room for me to have a second blood test tomorrow.

Here are things I can’t get answers for - would be so greatful for clarity....

1. DD has recovered - I have no symptoms. Could I still have ‘carried’ it to the baby?
   
2. If I have immunity (which I won’t find out for days) does that mean the baby is safe?
   
3. If I don’t have immunity - given the time lapse now is it too late to do anything anyway? In which case why bother with a second blood test?
   
   And why are nurses and midwives so unable to answer any of this - I’m going to blood tests (everyone agrees on that) but not what the results will actually mean, or if given the timing of the tests if they will even be meaningful.

[Bez9087]

Hi
My daughter had this when I was 9 weeks pregnant she then passed it to my son who then had it when I was 10 weeks pregnant. I’m now 31+4. I had the bloods done and they found I was already immune to it so didn’t need to take any further action.
They did tell me that if I wasn’t immune for any reason then it would be closely monitored for symptoms and also regular scans to check baby for the problems that can come with it.
Most people are immune to it and as you know it’s viral and when you know what it is it’s not contagious anymore.
I would go for the second bloods just to put your mind at ease anyway and to know if need extra monitoring but I don’t think in terms of treating it there’s actually anything they can do.

[Buxbaum]

I’m not a doctor but my DD had a confirmed case of slapped cheek between Christmas and new year. I had to have bloods taken because they couldn’t get hold of the phlebotomy lab to test my booking-in bloods.

The test confirmed the presence of parvovirus antibodies so nothing else needed to be done. Both my mw and the GP said that if I were infected there was very little that could be done beyond additional growth scans to check on baby’s development and check for signs of foetal hydrops.

However - this was all because I was only 14 weeks or so and I was also told that it is not considered to be a concern after 20 weeks.

[PassiveAggressivePamela]

Not a doctor either but my DS (then 2) had very red cheeks and was mildly unwell for around 3 days when I was about 34 weeks pregnant with DD. He never saw a GP as he wasn’t really poorly, but I showed photos of his glowing face to the nurse, who agreed it could well be slapped cheek and was happy to do bloods (DD was a pregnancy after a mc, and I was extremely anxious about anything I could catch that might affect her).

Bloods were done, and no antibodies present so I guess I could have caught it, but I had no symptoms and nothing ever came of it, none of the HCPs I saw after that were concerned. Although as DS was never officially diagnosed, it might not have even been slapped cheek. It was weird but I was very worried about it all for a couple of weeks.

[April229]

Thanks both.

Bex I will go to the second blood appointment because you’re right and I should really, but as you say bux if it’s not a concern after 20 weeks then what is all this for anyway?

[April229]

Thanks passive. It sounds just like my experience in that everyone is certain that bloods need to be taken - but they are not really sure why when you’re post 20 weeks.

[mumbanator]

1. yes
   
2. yes
   
3. for your own peace of mind. The risk of harm is much lower at your gestation so I would try not to worry. The blood test shows recent infection or whether you have longer term antibodies ie had it years ago. If it shows recent infection they’ll probably offer you scans to check everything is okay - so worth having.

[April229]

Thank you mumbanator.