Shingles and pregnancy

[Klara1980]

Does anybody know what are dangers of catching shingles during the pregnancy (I'm currently trying to get pregnant) and worry about catching shingles as I had chickenpox as a child. Is shingles vaccine effective and worth having? Please help.

You can't catch shingles. You may develop it if you are a bit low and under the weather.
I don't know how the vaccine works, and the virus is already in your system from having CP, but I think it is only available to older people (my Mum is nearly 80 and has only just become eligible for it).

The shingles vaccine in the UK isn't licensed for people under 50. You'd be very unlikely to be given it if you were under 50 and had had repeated shingles attacks yourself.

You can't catch shingles from another person with shingles or from someone with chickenpox, but you can catch chickenpox from someone with chickenpox if you haven't had chickenpox yourself.

If you had chickenpox as a child you could flare with shingles if run down, on immunosuppressant drugs, old or immune compromised. It's unlikely though if otherwise young and healthy.

If you do become pregnant and then have a concern that you have shingles see your GP as soon as possible. Some people benefit from antivirals.