36 wks pregnant DD nursery just rang to say chicken pox going round WWYD?

[flippyfloppy]

Hi there, I'm 36 weeks pregnant, DD is 3.5. DD's nursery has just rang apparently, chicken pox is going round at the moment and they are obliged to inform me as they know I am pregnant. I had chicken pox when I was 11, I have rang midwife and GP to ask advice but I am waiting for ringbacks. DD is due to go to nursery this afternoon. I am thinking I am just going to send her, chances are I am immune anyhow and I can't keep her indoors for next few months incase she picks up something she may pass onto baby.. wondered what you would do in same position.

TIA! x

Your midwife should have tested you for immunity to chicken pox in your first set of blood tests. At least, mine did. It's rare, but you can have had chicken pox but not be immune. Hopefully she'll be able to tell you whether they've done the test.

Thanks Stiffybyng didn't realise they did that, I'll wait and see when she rings me back. In meantime GP has just rang back to say risk very small so in his opinion he wouldn't worry too much.

Hi - am sure that if MW hasn't done the tests you can get it done now for reassurance. Unfortunately if your DD is going to get it she's probably already been exposed at the most infectious stage. Mind you if she gets it quickly that might be the best thing as she'll no longer be infectious by the time the new baby arrives.

BTW my DS had chickenpox when he was 6mo. It was a bit of a pain and I wouldn't deliberately have sought out chicken pox for him at that age but... it was easier to deal with in many regards as he couldn't really coordinate to scratch the spots etc which reduced the chances of spots getting infected. And because he was still pretty much exclusively breastfed (apart from the odd bit of banana and whatever) he was getting my antibodies too, which was supposed to reduce the severity of the infection. Am sure your midwife and health visitor can provide support if the baby does catch it after he/she is born.

dd1's nursery had chicken pox and we've had it at the secondary school I work in. At my school they banned the boy from school for an extra week after scabs had appeared as there are 4 of us pg - one took 3 years to get pg and I'm expecting twins so they're being very protective of us all. Today, another pupil has shingles but her dr said she could come in. The school nurse checked her over and her scabs were still weeping so told her mum she couldn't be in school.

I'm immune as my dr tested me before I conceived dd1 as he was doing a blood test anyway. It's good to be careful but you have to be sensible. I'd send dd so long as she's healthy in every other way.

Chicken pox is not tested for as routine. Chances are, if you have had chicken pox, you are immune. Your GP can test you to see whether you are immune or not, but if you aren't, you may be offered an anti immune vaccination if your DD gets it.

I'm not immune to chicken pox, but the danger periods are before 14 weeks and the last 7 days before delivery, but if I do get it, then either I will get the anti immune vaccination, or the baby will, according to my consultant.

Hi thanks for all the replies. After speaking to doctor I decided to send DD to nursery this afternoon, I'm still waiting for midwife to return call?!? but I am seeing her thursday anyhow and if I don't hear from her before then I can speak to her THursday about test for immunity.

Thanks again!