Visiting someone with glandular fever when pregnant

[CobaltRose96]

Hi all!

I'm 29 weeks pregnant and my partner and I were planning to go round to visit my partner's family on Boxing Day. However, his little brother has just been diagnosed with a severe case of glandular fever.

Because of that I'm reluctant to go round there and possibly catch it myself, especially being that I'll be almost 30 weeks pregnant. Would I be wise to avoid going round there until his brother is a bit better? I don't know much about glandular fever and have never had it.

Thanks!

Glandular fever isn't very contagious & as far as I'm aware wouldn't cause baby any harm, however under the slim chance you would catch it I understand why you wouldn't want to be ill at 30 weeks!

Just don't share saliva with him. I had glandular fever as a teen, not from kissing but from sharing a drink (smoothie) with someone I worked with...

Check with your doctor first and foremost but in my own direct experience of my husband having severe Epstein Barr (titers through the roof) during my pregnancy it did precisely nothing and I would hope we were in more contact than you and your partners nephew will be.

NHS website says it is very contagious... I had it as a teenager as was ill for months so if I were you I'd be very cautious and perhaps call your midwife for advice.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/glandular-fever/

I wouldn't risk it. I had it years ago access poorly for months.

*and was

I wouldn't risk it.

Most adults are immune without knowing it - as a young child it's less unpleasant than later on so you may have had it without realising. I'm not aware of it being particularly dangerous in pregnancy but it wouldn't be much fun! It's mostly spread by bodily fluids rather than airborne so the risk of infection just from being in the same house is low.