Chicken Pox while pregnant

[SarahL2]

A few of DS's friends have come down with Chicken Pox. We have seen these friends 2 or 3 times in the last week/10 days. DS is 2.2.

A couple of months ago I would have been quite happy for DS to get Chicken Pox so we could have it over and done with - DH has never had Chicken Pox and it cost us £75 to get him innoculated!! He's only had 1 of the 2 jabs he needs though as he keeps forgetting to make the second appointment! - but now I'm not so sure cause I am 10.3 weeks pregnant.

According to my Mum, I have had Chicken Pox at least twice as a child. Obviously the first time was worse than the second.

So, do I need to be worried? After 2 infections would it be possible for me to get it again? Getting it before 20 weeks can be a really bad idea can't it?

I know I'm probably being silly but can someone reassure me please?

My DC both got it when I was about 10 weeks. My mum told me I'd never had it . I went to the GP who wasn't arsed in the slightest and who actually looked at me like this when I said I was worried.

The risk is apparently minute. I was tested for immunity anyway and was found to be immune.

HTH

You are probably immune, but ask for a blood test from your mw/gp.
The most dangerous time is the first trimester or the last 2 weeks.
Hope you are able to put your mind at rest.

if you have had it twice then i would think its unlikely you could catch it again, however i would tell your midwife you have been exposed to people with chickenpox, she will do a blood test to find out for definite if you are immune or not.

if you are not immune there is an injection they can give you to reduce the chance of you catching it.

speak to your midwife just to check but i am sure you will be fine

hope this helps

It is
a)unlikely you will catch it as you have had it as a child

b) even if you do contract it there is a less than 1% chance that there will be problems with the baby.

c) it is most dangerous if caught by the mother 14 days either side of delivery.

Thanks everyone. Wasn't sure it was worth the hassle of ringing the midwife - I had her with DS, she is not the comforting type! - but I think I will bite the bullet and try now.

One of DS's friends are with the same surgery and when they phoned to speak to the doctor today, he didn't even want the child bringing in - was quite happy that the (first time) mother had diagnosed correctly from what she'd told him over the phone.

I'm sure I will be immune. I am 1 of 4 kids so I was exposed to it a lot. Just a bit worried that if I had it twice then my immunity is a bit rubbish ;)

It's theoretically possible to get chickenpox more than once if the second time you got a really heavy exposure. Such second-episode chickenpox is usually very mild and boosts your immunity to more protective levels.

These days a good history of chickenpox is satisfactory if you were born and brought up in the UK, and you probably don't need a blood test. However you're about due for antenatal screening so I guess you could ask for VZV antibodies as well.

BTW in regard to the rest of the information: primary chickenpox in pregnancy carries a more significant risk to the mother's health, rather than the baby's. Any post-exposure prophylaxis with VZIG, or antiviral treatment with acyclovir, is done to protect the mum from complications and not necessarily baby.

Currently the danger period for baby after mum developing chickenpox is 7 days either side of birth.

Spoke to midwife this morning and she thinks an immunity test would be a good idea as I have had it twice so my immunity could be a bit, well, rubbish

Rang the doctors to book it and got a difficult receptionist who insists I speak to a doctor before she will book anything so now I am waiting for him to ring me back to talk about it.

Was pleasantly suprised at how helpful the midwife was though, she was a real pain last time - could be cause she was pregnant as well. She just seemed bored by the whole thing all the time!

Can I ask - if you've had it once you should be OK?

I was exposed to chickpox on a week past on Sunday, the child developed the spots on Thursday. So far both ds and I are fine, but I'm 17 weeks pg.

I have had it when I was a child, although my mother also doesn't remember

You should be fine Nigella. I think the only reason they are a bit suspect with me is that you are only supposed to be able to get Chicken Pox once so for me to have it twice could mean that I didn't get the immunity I should have got from the first time i had it. If I haven't gotten immunity from the second time either then I won't be immune now so will need to be treated as if I never had it.

17 weeks is also a better time to get it i think, its the first 12 weeks that are worrying as far as I understand it.

Doctor was great though. Agreed that I did need a test and asked me to call reception to make a nurses appointment. Called them but they couldn't fit me in unitl Monday. When I told them what the blood test was for they spoke to the doctor, who said I couldn't wait that long so he had me come straight down to the surgery and did it himself! Will know if I am immune by tomorrow afternoon.

Was a bit concerned as he did admit it had been a long time since he'd taken blood but apart from being a bit sore, it all seems fine.

I'm immune

Phew, that's a weight off my mind.