Chickenpox whilst trying to conceive??

[spg1983]

Well here's one I never thought I'd be asking!

DSS has been with us since Saturday, on Sunday he came out with chickenpox. He went back to his mum today. DH and I have both had chickenpox, plus I've also had shingles.

As far as I'm aware, we're both immune and can therefore continue ttc? I'm on cd12 so this is the kind of time that we really need to be doing the deed. However, DH is convinced that we'll end up with complications if I get pregnant this month because of the contact with DSS.

I've tried the Internet and can't find anything totally definitive either way. Please help!

Anyone?!

If you are immune then all should be fine. Very rarely someone can catch chicken pox more than once but for the majority of the population having had it once is enough to provide immunity.

My 2 yr old got chickenpox when I was 20 weeks pregnant with DC2. I knew for sure that I'd had them as a child, but went to GP just to make sure. Got a blood test which showed I was immune.

GP said very rare for people to have had chickenpox and not be immune, would need to be a very very slight dose of chickenpox as most cases leave the person with immunity.

Hope that makes sense! All the best for TTC :)

Thanks - I thought that would be the case but just needed to hear (see!) it from someone else before I believed it.

if you have had a rubella test, and it was fine does that mean your immune to chickenpox?

Not sure... is rubella the same thing as chickenpox? I didn't think it was, but could be wrong. Might be worth ringing GP to check.

No rubella is not the same thing as chickenpox. You need to be tested for chickenpox separately (or be sure you've had it in the past).

If you've had shingles, then that means you've definitely had chicken pox previously, since shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chicken pox virus. The virus hangs around inside you after you've had chicken pox, and can be reactivated when your immune system is a bit weakened.

It seems very likely that you are immune, but you could always phone NHS direct to get reassurance and advice.