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Original poster

Slapcheek and pregancy

14 replies

grommit · 08/06/2003 18:54

I heard that there may be a problem for pregant women coming into contact with 'Slapcheek' - does anyone know any more about this?

OP posts:
Jimjams · 08/06/2003 19:06

Very very slight risk in first 12 weeks BUT- most adults are immune. Have you come into contact? Worth checking with midwife if you have....

tamum · 08/06/2003 19:16

Jimjams I hate to say it but it's more of a problem later in prenancy, particularly second trimester. It can cause hydrops. 60% of women are already immune. If you have been in contact then you should do as jimjams says and contact your midwife.

Original poster
grommit · 08/06/2003 19:18

tatum- what is hydrops?

OP posts:
tamum · 08/06/2003 19:23

It's basically fluid retention around the heart, grommit. As you may guess, I went through this when I was pregnant with dd. My ds got slapped cheek, and when my blood was tested and compared with blood taken at the time of booking at the maternity hospital I had seroconverted (i.e. I hadn't had antibodies before and so wasn't immune, but had them after ds's infection, and so had exposed the baby). I had weekly scans for the next 4 weeks to check the baby's heart. They were perhaps over-reacting, as the risk is very small, but a baby had died there the previous week for the same reason. It is very rare though. I'll happily talk to you more if it would help- are you pregnant?

Original poster
grommit · 08/06/2003 19:26

Tatum - yes I am 14 wks. There always seem to be cases of Slapcheed at dd's nursery and I have to drop her off and collect her - not sure how I can avoid it...now I am panicing....

OP posts:
pie · 08/06/2003 19:32

There is some info here , seems that you should contact someone grommit just to be checked out.

I would imagine that even if you could find someone to drop DD off and pick her up as long as you are sending DD she will be exposed...

Hopefully you can get a blood test that will be able to show that you have immunity.

Good luck xx

tamum · 08/06/2003 19:32

Oh no, please try not to panic! The best reassurance would be to get them to test your blood for antibodies- the chances are that you'll find you're already immune and don't need to worry. Has your dd had it herself? If so you are almost certainly immune already. Hearing that there had been a baby lost to it made me completely panic at the time because it was in the same town in the same epidemic (and therefore same strain), but my consultant said that was the first case he'd come across in 25 years, so the risk is small even if you are exposed. I was exposed, I wasn't immune, and dd is now a strappingly healthy 5 year old. I would contact your midwife but try hard not to worry. Chance of you catching it just from brief exposure at the nursery is low.

Original poster
grommit · 08/06/2003 19:34

thanks tatum

OP posts:
Marina · 08/06/2003 19:44

grommit, would agree with everything Tamum says. I had a slapped cheek scare this pregnancy at 20 weeks, after which the risk ceases to be serious. Hydrops is a potential complication from being exposed to slapped cheek, but my consultant assured me it is a rare one because first you must not already be immune (rules out 60% of all women in the UK), then it has to cross the placenta (which it often doesn't) and even then only some babies develop hydrops. Hydrops can even be treated in the womb if it is spotted, by giving the baby blood transfusions before it is born.
Get your immunity checked and you will probably find you are fine anyway. Let us know how you get on, I know how potentially worrying these things can be.

tamum · 08/06/2003 19:57

Oh very good point Marina- I should have said that's why I had the scans, because there IS something they can do about if it's picked up.

Jimjams · 08/06/2003 20:15

oh is it second trimester? I think I was exposed during second trimester with ds2 and was told it was fine! DS2 is fine though anyway!

Being pregnant is a nightmare isn't it. Talk to your midwife grommit- they were very good when I was exposed to chickenpox and hadn't had it (was immune anywya though).

Wills · 11/06/2003 10:19

Everso glad to see this thread. DD's nursery has slapped cheek and I'm off to have the blood tests taken this afternoon. I don't want to over react but at the same time would like to be sensible. I talked to a midwife this morning who said that if I contracted they would monitor the baby but that there was nothing they could do except possibly induce me which at 29weeks I'd really rather avoid. My reaction is take dd out of nursery until I establish whether or not I already have an immunity. Is this extreme or sensible. I would never forgive myself if I lost the little one.

Original poster
grommit · 11/06/2003 10:55

I have a feeling there has been slapcheek in my daughter's nursery some weeks ago - at the time I did not know this could be a threat during pregnancy. I have just called my midwife and will go for a blood test on Friday morning to check immunity. Thanks for the information everyone - why is pregancy sooo complicated these days!!!

OP posts:
Marina · 11/06/2003 11:19

Wills, double-check when you have your test done but my consultant assured me that AFTER 20 weeks there is much less risk in contracting slapped cheek (which was why I was so exasperated when ds got it when I was 19 weeks!). If you are immune there is no risk whatsoever - and an awful lot of British women are, at least 60%. Try not to panic and hoping that both you and Grommit are immune.

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