Chicken Pox

[Xena]

I'm just over 5 weeks pg and I think one of my children has chicken pox. I had it as a child but how dangerous is it in pregnacy?

pregnancy even!

If you had it as a child you'll be immune, won't you? So not dangerous at all.

ds had it when I was around 22 weeks pg and dr said it was ok even if I hadn't had it as a child but think it may be more problematic at beginning or end of pg. Phone surgery or m/w for advice perhaps, think they could do a blood test ot check for antibodies if you are still worried.

Thanks guys I will mention it to the doctor, but most people think that its OK.

Sorry to be the voice of doom but i really would push to see if you can get checked for imunity as I nursed dd and dh through chicken pox when in the early stages of pregnancy and I misscarried shortly afterwards. The gp/hospital could not confirm that it was due to being exposed to the chicken pox virus but the doubt will allways be at the back of my mind.

I work in a hospital and when I was about 20wks pregnant 2 people at work had shingles... I rang midwife and she said as long as I'd had chicken pox as a child I was ok and they wouldn't need ot do anything... I'd ring them if you are worried tho.

I'd ask for a test to check your immunity, as I had chickenpox as a child and I'm not immune. I was exposed to chickenpox 3 times during my pregnancies and had to have an injection to stop me getting it each time. I'm sure it's fine, but best to be sure at this early stage.

I had chickenpox when I was 28. There was a pregnant woman in my team at the time. The GP checked and said that if she hadn't had chickenpox herself, she should be given some kind of injection which (I believe) conferred temporary passive immunity. As it turned out, she went into labour almost as soon as I went off sick, so it didn't matter anyway.

On a side note, it really gets my goat when I see people coming into work with still seeping pustules - when you know that they're still infectious. One of the managers did this at one place I worked when, firstly, he didn't know if any of the women there were in early pregnancy and, secondly, the girlfriend of one of the blokes WAS definitely in early pregnancy - and he didn't know if either of them had had it before.

If you've had it already, you should be fine.