Pregnant & Chickenpox

[Ju5tAgirlstandinginfrontofaboy]

Hi please can I ask for your help?
I'm panicking because am away on holiday and I think my daughter might have Chicken Pox. I am 15 weeks pregnant and my parents don't know if I had chicken pox myself.
Does anyone have any experience of this or any idea what I need to do. Waiting for a call from my GP but I am spiralling into a state of panic.

Trying to attach some pictures here

Don't panic! You're just out of the first trimester which is supposedly when it can cause a pregnant woman problems so you should be fine. Also, have you done your 12 week bloods with your booking in? You can ring your midwife and ask them to use that to check if you are immune to chicken pox already. This is all advice I was given by a midwife when I was in your exact situation a few months ago and I definitely haven't had chicken pox. It turns out you can just be immune or get chicken pox without the symptoms.

I had this. I phoned the hospital that did my blood tests at 12 weeks. They were really helpful and found my blood sample from those tests and tested it for chicken pox immunity. It didn't take them very long at all. I would start with that and go from there. If it turns out you haven't had chickenpox they will be the best people to give you advice.

Thank you both to @Greatbigterribleshart @WeCameToDance I still haven't heard from my Gp but I will mention what you have said.
It's not ideal to be dealing with this in another country but I'm not panicking and crying as before so thank you for your reassurances

Please does anyone know of the pictures look like chicken pox

i had same problem ... call your midwife they can use the bloods taken at your booking appt to check for immunity

No photos have been attached

Unfortunately they don't have my bloods anymore 😕

Hi op, the pictures do look like they could be the start of chicken pox. You'll soon know as they will probably spread and they'll then blistery. Are you abroad? If so, you may not be able to fly home until the pox aren't contagious anymore.

I think the above poster is right about you being safe if out of the first trimester.

Hugs, must be so tough being away from home and dealing with it.

Do you know if she’s been exposed to chicken pox? If so when? I recall the incubation period is 10-21 days before any spots would be visible.
I’m not sure I can tell from that photo tbh, it might be, but equally it could just be insect bites?

I had a nice chat with the GP and she booked me a varicella screen with the practice nurse. Basically another blood test. Turns out I had immunity so no further action required, but they push the results through quickly in case antivirals are required

Just an update, been to hospital and it's confirmed chicken pox.
I have to go in Monday to check my level of immunity via a blood test x

Just wondering also if anyone has any advice on managing chickenpox whilst on holiday?
Ie can she still have suncream on? Will limit sun exposure anyway. We have a private pool, should that still be avoided? The sea?
She doesn't feel very affected and still wants to do these sorts of things. Obviously wouldn't allow any communal pools or exposure to others

Call the hospital I had the same at 20 weeks ... they will check your bloods I have no natural immunity ... but they can give you two bloody massive injections to help you fight off chickenpox and reduce risk ( it hasn’t made me immune so do need to look into getting a vaccination )

It’s very rare not to have immunity my hospital sent me away on honeymoon telling me not to worry only panic call me when I was here saying I needed to come back ASAP ... good job we were only in the uk though a 3 hour drive away 🙄 so they may not know procedure straight away ... the person who injected me said they had no clue about the process as it had never happened before .

They checked using my exsisting blood test can they not do that? You have 3 days to catch it for the injection I believe ... so kick up a fuss if you need to

Sorry just read they don’t have your bloods ... I may be wrong about the timescales but I would double check with them x

But I am a rare case so try not to worry x

My DS developed chicken pox whilst on holiday abroad. We bought some lotion from a local chemist to soothe the spots, I wouldn’t let him in the sea etc. I think we covered him up with t-shirts etc, be careful you don’t burst blisters when using sun cream.
Also you will need to get a doctors certificate to say he’s ok to fly home ie. not infectious. If you are due to go home within a week contact your travel insurance firm as you may need to claim for costs of staying longer and new flights, if you aren’t allowed to fly.

And I think the risk was more to me than baby x

Keep isolated until spots heal so as not to infect others. You don’t know who is immunodeficienct around you that chicken pox could harm.
Sorry, quiet and confined to hotel room until no danger to others.

Thanks, I really can't thank you all enough for taking the time to give advice. It's been a little overwhelming but not unmanageable. It's a real help to know that there are willing to take time to offer their advice x

I read an article in the media saying a mother had bathed her child in a bath with Head & Shoulders Shampoo - not sure if you are somewhere with access to this product though.

Have found a link - apologies it is from The Mail!

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6896183/Mother-miracle-cure-daughters-chicken-pox-bathroom.html

I'm feeling really worried as I have sneezed a couple of times.
My brother had it quite bad when I was age 2 or 3.
That means I've likely had it doesn't it?

Sorry to be so needy on this matter I am just so worried about my baby.
I am not having my blood test until Monday and won't have the result immediately after I am just panicking incase I am running out of time here.
My daughters first spot was maybe 2 days ago and they will need to make the vaccine for me here so the time scale has me freaking out

I was in contact with someone with chickenpox on the Friday and sorted on the Monday... so it’s similar time scale.

Reading up on nhs website it is highly unlikely if you get it there will be complications ... also about 90% of woman I was told are actually born immune. X x