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Pregnancy

Slap cheek virus - what would you do?!

16 replies

AbiAbi · 18/06/2010 17:29

My 5yr old DD was diagnosed with slap cheek yesterday. She's fine apart from being slightly under the weather, and with bright red cheeks!

I took her to my GP yesterday, who didn't think it would be that big a risk to me, and in fact had to look on NHS Direct to see if it was dangerous to pregnant women at all, as he wasn't aware it is. So he said not to worry, and he wouldn't be arranging for me to be tested for immunity as the risk is so small...

... So I called my midwife for a second opinion- she said there is a risk before 20weeks and she would arrange a blood test for me ASAP. But that was yesterday lunchtime and she hasn't got in touch or replied to my messages since. I completely appreciate how busy and overworked midwives are, but between losing my DS last year, being given high odds for Downs after our combined test, I just feel like this is the last straw and I'm going a bit crazy with the worry.

And I miss wine

If you were me what would you do, please!!

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AbiAbi · 18/06/2010 17:31

Oops forgot to say I'm 17+5! Sorry.

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luciemule · 18/06/2010 17:39

I read up a lot on this over the past year as my ds had it and I've had pregnant relatives etc.
Basically, even with the risks of mc with pregnancies under 20 weeks, I think there's a much greater chance you'll have had/been exposed to the virus before.
However, you need to have a blood test and the mw should have followed this up for you.
As it's friday and you don't want to be worrying all weekend, you could call the out of hours gp or call the labour ward. They may be able to arrange the test for you tomorrow morning perhaps.
I will look for the info I had and post link in a mo.
Or you could call out of hours doc and ask them to send an oncall midwife round.

luciemule · 18/06/2010 17:45

useful info

AbiAbi · 18/06/2010 17:48

Thanks so much for that Luciemule- I'll check it out now and look for the out of hours GPs number- thank you.

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luciemule · 18/06/2010 17:49

Be assertive and tell them you cannot wait until monday. Even if you have to go a hospital that isn't your local, it wouldn't matter.

luciemule · 18/06/2010 17:51

So sorry too to hear about your ds last year - your world must have been turned upside down.

neolara · 18/06/2010 17:58

I was in your position last year. My GP was also a bit clueless but she rang the hospital for advice. They recommended that I had a blood test to see if I was immune. I had the test, and fortunately I was immune. I think it is very common for people to have had slapped cheek and not be aware.

I would chase up asap. Like you, I was a bit of a wreck about it all as I'd had 4 previous miscarriages and had lost faith that all would work out OK. However, I'm pleased to say that it did. (DD2 crawling round my feet as I type.)

Good luck

Meita · 18/06/2010 18:09

When I called my triage place and said I thought I might be at risk of having caught slapped cheek, they asked "when can you come?" and one hour later the blood test was done.

Before that, I had talked to my GP about it, who said that there was no point in doing a blood test because even if I was not immune and had caught it, there was nothing that could be done anyway. Which is simply not true.

So maybe call your triage unit?
Good luck.

bsmirched · 18/06/2010 18:46

I can only echo what the others have said - I would chase it up. I'm a teacher and we had a case when I was about 9wks. Like yours, my GP was hopeless and it was only because I'd already read up on the NHS website that she took any notice of me at all! I finally got some sense out of my maternity unit!

A quick word of warning, though - the test takes a couple of weeks to come back, if I remember correctly, so unfortunately you won't have your mind put truly at rest for a while. However, as others have said, you're far more likely to be immune than not.

AbiAbi · 18/06/2010 19:41

Thank you all for replying

I called NHS Direct. They advised me to
get a blood test done via my GP on Monday - there's no rush as if I DO have it they can't give me anything, it just mean that there's a 3% risk the baby could develop foetal aneamia , which slows growth and so we'd need extra monitoring and possibly an in utero blood transplant. However she did stress that I PROBABLY have immunty, as I've had nearly all childhood illnesses when I was young, plus my DD has had a lot from nursery too, so fingers crossed!

Thanks all so much for replying; I can try and relax now!

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luciemule · 18/06/2010 22:58

Glad you're feeling a bit better - hope it all goes okay and that you're immune.

LittleSilver · 19/06/2010 21:21

I'm glad you have it sorted. Just to add, I was exposed to this in my 1st trimester with DD3 and was told to have a blood test immediately; I was immune.

I'd be tempted to write a letter to your practice manager.

June2008 · 21/06/2010 10:23

Just to add to the others, I can give you my experience with slapped cheek in the last couple of months.

My dd caught slapped cheek when I was about 18 weeks, and was confirmed by the doctor. He told me not to worry and that as I was nearly 20 weeks it wouldn't be a problem. He said not to bother with the blood test.

However I was seeing my consultant later that week and mentioned it to him. He said that the blood test can be very unreliable and it was best to be referred to have extra scans to be sure there was no problems. From what I can tell they do this is if you have a confimred case in your immediate family rather than just being exposed once.

I had the first of these scans at 28 weeks, as apparently it can take a good few weeks for anything to show up on the scan, and have another at 34 weeks. In the run up to the scan I was v v worried as you might imagine but after half an hour being checked it came back that there we no signs of any problems. I'm am obviously hoping that it will be all clear at 34 weeks too!

It really does seem to be fairly random as to how seriously HCPs take this, but I was lucky and have been re-assured by the treatment I have been given.

Hth, let us know how you get on!

AbiAbi · 21/06/2010 11:02

Hi June, thanks for that, we have had quite similar experiences it seems, especially with the doctors reactions. Always good to hear others experiences - and yes it is baffling how different it is treated by different doctors.

My midwife called me today and said that the hospital still has my blood sample from my booking in appointment and they will be testing that today to check for immunity.

I am under consultant care, so will mention it to them, or may even give him a call to mention it - thank you I wouldnt have thought of involving them if you hadnt said!

Thanks again

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Bessie123 · 21/06/2010 11:30

I think the best way to test is via a scan, as June says. I understand it is very easy to pick up on a scan if the baby has foetal anaemia - you can't miss it.

AbiAbi · 21/06/2010 11:41

Ok, its funny as all the doctors/midwives I have spoken to have only really mentioned the blood tests, so I will definitely speak to my consultant - thank you all so much

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