Early pregnancy and Chicken Pox

[donttrythisathome]

Doe anyone know anything about early pregnancy and chicken pox please?

I'm 4.5 weeks pregnant and my DD has just developed chicken pox. We were both exposed to it 2 weeks ago.

I haven't had chicken pox, so rang 111, and given it is the weekend was told to go to A&E for a bloodtest to see if I have any antibodies.

I thought that the bloodtest would be back really quickly, so I could get an anti-viral test. But, no 10 days!

This makes no sense to me as the period in which I can be infected will have passed by then. They said to contact them further if I got the pox. And go to GP on Monday who will follow up when the blood tests come in.

I just don't get that, if the purpose of the treatment is to prevent you getting the disease, why they can't do anything within the period in which I can be infected?!

Does this sound correct?

A&E doc said he checked with the biologists and the gynaecology people. But... shouldn't they be able to get the blood test back sooner?!

As I understand it, the GP may prescribe immunoglobulin to try and stop you catching it - this may or may not work - and he/she can also prescribe antivirals to make it less severe if you do.

I'm not sure though. Try NHS direct maybe? You may also be immune through passive immunity.

Thanks. Yes, that's what I understand too, so it concerns me that the blood test results take so long.

The blood test result shouldn't take 10 days. I would think that your GP will be able to phone virology and get the result for you tomorrow, and failing that, get them processing the sample urgently for you. Certainly that would the kind of timescale in our area. Your GP might be happy to try and get the result for you without a face to face appointment if you can't get one on Monday morning- most GPs will phone you back if you ask. You are right, the quicker you have treatment the better if you are not immune. But you may well find that you are already immune, lots of people are who didn't think they had chicken pox as a child.

Thanks. Still waiting for the result, but the GP did ring up and ask them to do it urgently. 4 day wait so far-this isn't my idea of an urgent result...

Within the 10 days.

Bed time

Thanks so much. It is a shame none of the professionals I saw could explain that to me, despite my pointed questions!!

I was immune by the way, hooray!