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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

HELP!!! CHICKEN POX

26 replies

worryinone · 26/06/2006 09:31

Am 38+5 pregnant now and yesterday was in tesco and saw a little boy covered from head to toe in chicken pox running around the store. I have not had chicken pox before and have had the immunity test at 18 weeks and am not immune to it - am now absolutely s*ing myself. What should I do??

OP posts:
Beauregard · 26/06/2006 09:33

I wouldn't worry too much(easy to say i know)it is most dangerous if you are 20 weeks and under.But give your midwife a ring just for reassurance if you are still concerned.

Original poster
worryinone · 26/06/2006 09:35

Just been searching the web and it says that if you have less than two weeks to go that the foetus is at risk of developing chicken pox and this is very dangerous and can even cause death.

OP posts:
Beauregard · 26/06/2006 09:37

Give your gp or midwife a call if you are that worried ,but chances are you havent caught it.

Furball · 26/06/2006 09:44

I didn't have contact as late as you but I did come into contact with it and I too wasn't immune. I contacted my doctor who gave me two injections (1 in each bum cheek!) which was to help protect us if I did catch it.

Ring your doctor and explain and they will deal with you very promptly and sort you out.

PS - Chicken pox is supposed to be most contagious before the spots have come out, once they are out and scabbed they are not contagious.

shhhh · 26/06/2006 09:46

I was told by my mv when expecting dd that it WAS more of a risk if caught towards end of pregnancy..someone at work had it when I was around 28 weeks...

Speak to your mw. The only positive I can give is....isn't it meant to be ok once the person has the "spots" as it means the virus is no longer around iykwim. The part you need to avoid is the 2 weeks before the spots appear as thats when they are contagious..?? So basically if the lad had the spots then he didn't hold the virus any more.. ? That may also be why his mother is allowing him out as he can't pass it on..??Make sense..? Let me know. xx

shhhh · 26/06/2006 09:47

xposts with furball..I agree though about the spots bit...

Original poster
worryinone · 26/06/2006 10:03

Apparently it is 1-2 days before the spots appear right up until they have all scabbed over when the disease is contagious and it is most dangerous early on in pregnancy and in the last 2 weeks. Just phoned midwife - got to go in for another immunity test and then they will decide if to give me the immunoglobulin which also carries risks. Have had such a healthy pregnancy and just feel so upset and scared now!!

OP posts:
shhhh · 26/06/2006 10:09

BTW worryinone..just asking after you on other thread (didn't realise this thread was you iykwim..!!) thought your curry over the weekend may have brought on your labour as not heard from you..!!!

Try and relax as your baby will pick up on the stress although I know it's hard. Chances are you will be fine as by the sounds of it you didn't actually come into contact with the little boy. I would say the risk of catching it is low..It's not fair thought that his mother allowed him out putting others at risk .
Friend of mine when to a party a few weeks ago when a friends little lad had chicken poxs spots..Personally (at the time) I would have thought it was ok BUT now I know it isn't. I think it's a bit selfish but thats imo..

Let us know how you get on. xx

Furball · 26/06/2006 10:10

the boys spots were they scabbed? They probably were. The spots seem to take weeks to disappear with my ds and I was forever explaining to people that he was no longer contagious. So hopefully that is the case here. i know it's difficult but do try not to worry at least you are aware of the situation and things can be done to try and help you.

Original poster
worryinone · 26/06/2006 10:16

Gonna get ready and go in now for blood test. DH said that the boys spots looked scabby as if towards the end but I didn't study them enough. I was literally pushing the shopping trolley as quick as I could to get away from him.

OP posts:
SaintGeorge · 26/06/2006 11:44

Did the little boy get in your trolley and ride around the store with you? Did you pick him up and give him a big cuddle and kiss him?

No? Then stop worrying.

Sorry, not trying to be sarcastic just pointing out the facts. Yes it is a contagious disease but you do need to be in pretty close contact. Someone running around the supermarket is very unlikely to infect you.

GeorginaA · 26/06/2006 11:49

worryinone - great that you phoned and are getting an immunity test. Just wanted to reassure you that even if you haven't had chicken pox before, that a huge percentage of women are immune to it (around 97% if I recall correctly) so there's still a chance you'll be immune.

The immunoglobulin is also known as VZIG, and if taken quickly enough after exposure is pretty effective - at the very least it would minimize symptoms. I was exposed to chickenpox (my ds1 got it while I was pregnant! Pretty heavy exposure!) shortly before I was due to give birth, was given the VZIG and didn't get chickenpox - nor did my baby (now 2 years old!).

It is really worrying, and I know how stressful it is, but just wanted to give you some reassurance and hugs.

GeorginaA · 26/06/2006 11:50

(Oh, and I do appreciate that telling a heavily pregnant woman to stop worrying is like asking the world to stop rotating )

shhhh · 26/06/2006 12:33

ga, worryinone did post below saying she had the test at 18 weeks and IS NOT IMMUNE to it. I think thats why she is so worried.

At least she is doing the best thing getting it looked at etc.

Original poster
worryinone · 26/06/2006 14:37

Just got back from having another immunity test now. They said I may have developed passive immunity since my last test at 18 weeks, although unlikely. It is a highly contageous disease and although I am probably blowing things slightly out of proportion, the fact is that if you are in the same room as another person with chicken pox you are at a high risk of catching it - something like 90% if in your house and obviously less if in a public place, but still it is a risk! Also if I wasn't so close to giving birth I would be less concerned but this is a really dodgy time to catch it and very dangerous for the baby (apparently!)ps. forgot to mention shhh that the curry I had the other night was gorgeous!! Had chicken mackhani and chiken balti jafrani (shared obviously with DH), poppadoms with all the trimmings and a lovely big garlic naan and a mushroom pilau rice - needless to say there has been no signs of labour since!!

OP posts:
BetsyBoop · 26/06/2006 15:30

I had a similar scare when pregnant with DD (luckily I didn't get it) & I found this site useful

www.rcog.org.uk

GeorginaA · 26/06/2006 15:51

Sorry shhh, missed that bit

worryinone - I think it's worth taking the risk seriously (which you are) while being reassured that the chances are slight. Just wanted to let you know that you're not the only one to have gone through this worry - and it all turned out okay for me even though I was in VERY close proximity to chickenpox on an ongoing basis at a risky time.

Of course, I'm STILL not immune to chickenpox, but that's another story...!

shhhh · 26/06/2006 19:46

glad you enjoyed the curry!!! Gosh Jalfrazi..and baby has not made a sign...Think you better try dynamite come week 40..!! .

BTW you and ga says you are not immune to chicken pox...how do you become immune..?? Have you ever had chicken pox..? I had it aged 8 ish so does that mean if dd got it I would be ok (I am 9 weeks pregnant so now aware of the possibility of catching it..!!)Or can you have it and still catch it again..??I thought you could only get it once.?

GeorginaA · 26/06/2006 22:30

shhh: can't speak for worryinone but I've never had chickenpox

sorkycake · 26/06/2006 22:57

Hi
just thought I'd add my bit here. I have had CPox and am now 8weeks pg. Both my 2 kids contracted it within a week of me finding out I was pg. Not a risk if you have had it, even though you can catch it more than once. The disease is not contagious when the spots have scabbed over which is probably why the boy was out and about. Also, my GP informed me that you would need physical contact with the child to catch it, which accounts for why siblings invariably get it after one another. At 38.5 weeks, if you were truly at risk, would doc's not want to c-section you to remove the risk? Probably not, do try not to get worried about it I'm sure you'll be fine. The amount of diseases that must be dangerous and floating around Asda etc has got to be more scary! Good luck!

Original poster
worryinone · 27/06/2006 09:24

Shhh - you develop immunity if you have had it before - that's why if you catch it in the middle of pregnancy it isn't so much of a risk because the baby will receive the antibodies from you apparently (or something like that) However, if you are right at the end (like me) the baby has more chance of having chicken pox when they are born as there isn't time for the baby to receive your antibdodies and this is very risky for the baby!! Get the results of my test at 4pm today so will keep you posted later xx

OP posts:
Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 27/06/2006 09:58

Good luck today worryinone. I had cp whilst pg - caught it from my sister despite not being with her at all once she had spots. I was 26 weeks so pretty much as safe as it can be but was very worried all the same. This was almost 18 years ago and my GP arranged for me to have anti-body injections to supposedly lessen the effects. Didn't work , but think the immuno stuff they give these days is much more effective.

As the others have said you are probably unlikely to catch it from someone running about in Asda.

spinamum · 27/06/2006 10:48

My little poppet has just had chicken pox. i'm 14 wks pg(irrelevant info) We stayed in when he was contagious( cos I was worried about passing it on to pg non immune peeps,etc), but he still looked frightful for at least a week afterwards. So if you'd seen us you would have wondered.

I can't speak for the other mum and I hope your test comes back negative for pox.(or positive for immunity--hope you get the right result!) the doc will sort it out whatever the result.
Anyway there is a huge chance the little boy wasn't contagious and if he was, you prob won't catch it from him.
Good luck the test results and the birth.

shhhh · 27/06/2006 15:56

don;t forget to let us know worryinone... xx

ps thanks for the explanation..!!!

shhhh · 28/06/2006 09:42

worryinone..how did it go..?

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