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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Exposure to chickepox

7 replies

GemmaaIrving · 10/01/2019 14:52

i am 28 weeks pregnant and my poor Nephew has come down with chickenpox! i let my midwife know and the blood tests came back today, which shows i have a high risk of having it. my GP has just prescribed me tablets to take (from a quick google search, i think they'll be called aciclovir).
i asked if they were safe during pregnancy to which he replied there's no yes or no answer.
just wondering if anyone else had ever taken these during pregnancy and if they know of anything that can harm the baby? I'm sure the pros outweigh the cons but I'm a first time mum and just a bit wary!

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 10/01/2019 15:06

Had you not had it as a child then? When did he come out in spots and were you with him in the 1-2 days before he got spots or while he had them? Incubation period is then up to 21 days after exposure

Original poster
GemmaaIrving · 10/01/2019 15:23

No I've never had it at all.
He came out in spots on 07/01 and I last saw him on 03/01
Managed to get a hold of the Midwife who confirmed the tablets are totally OK to take! phew!
Fingers crossed now I don't come out in the spots.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 10/01/2019 15:47

He wouldn't have been contagious at that point as its only 1-2 days before the spots appear that they are contagious from. Did they seem to think you were incubating it? Nhs seems to say aciclover is what they give for it

dementedpixie · 10/01/2019 15:49

Or did the blood tests just show you weren't immune? I would think you will be ok if you weren't exposed at a time he was fully contagious (1-2 days before spots and until they crust over)

DinoMamasaurus · 10/01/2019 16:01

Not in pregnancy but I took acciclover when I was breastfeeding and looked into it properly at the time and was reassured it was fine for BF (and indeed it was!)

The issue with any drug or anything down to the most innocent little cream or lotion is that drug companies won’t ever test on pregnant women - because obvs too much risk/total minefield. So basically nothing ever says definitively for use in pregnancy for that reason but obviously doctors are aware of what drugs have been safely prescribed over lots of years and which are absolutely not to be used so you just have their advice/expertise to go on.

Sounds like rotten luck you got it in those timescales but good you got the blood test and hopefully the tablets will sort it.

GemI17 · 10/01/2019 16:09

The midwife explained a bit better than the doctor when i got hold of her, they have said from the test that i have a very high risk of catching it. (i thought the test was to see if i was infected with it) so hopefully from what you are saying is that the time i last saw him, i wont have caught it.
thank you both so much for your quick response! feel better now Grin

tae19 · 13/01/2019 00:04

Aciclovir used routinely in pregnancy with women who have a history of herpes so don't worry! If there was ever a time to get it you have will have done it at the "right" time - can cause issues in 1st trimester and worse is if have it when baby is born as you cannot be around them and need to be isolated.

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