Getting a chickenpox vacination

[Reallytired]

I am pregnant and my baby is due in April 2009. I would like to get the baby vacinated against chickenpox when its old enough. My son had a hellish time with chicken pox and has even had an episode of shingles afterwards. He has awful scars from the chickenpox.

I would like to avoid my baby getting chickenpox as my son had a horrid time. Also as a working mum even a mild dose of chickenpox is a major headache. Although this a secondary reason for me wanting the baby to be immunised.

I know the chickenpox vacination is not available on the NHS. Does anyone know where it could be done in the UK privately. Preferely near Hertfordshire or possibly London.

I thought the vaccine was less effective, than normal exposure

Would it be worth discussing with your gp?

I thought about getting my DD privately vaccinated. I didnt in the end as the amount of time that the vaccine is effective for isnt known, and it is much much worse to have it as an adult. You would need to know how often you would need to revaccinate,and being able to do that.

My DD had a specific reason for needing to not get chicken pox, but we were never offered a vaccine, but would have been given immunoglobulins had she been exposed, and admitted to hospital for IV antivirals if she had caught it. I would have thought that just vaccinating her would have been a lot easier than all that, so there must be a reason why no-one did (unless it is just one of those funny NHS things )

I don't think the NHS carries chicken pox vaccine, but certainly worth chatting to your GP about. When we were in the States we had to prove the children had had chickenpox or had them vaccinated or they wouldn't have started school. There has certainly been some consideration of introducing the vaccine to the UK.