I'm pregnant and I'm pretty sure I have slapped cheek....

[feedmenow]

Forgive me if I am repeating what has been gone over on other threads. I have done a search and found plenty on pregnant ladies who have/possibly have been exposed to someone with slapped cheek. But I couldn't find anything on pregnant women who actually HAVE slapped cheek.

From the beginning, I am 26 weeks pg. I have been feeling unwell for a few days. Last night I noticed one cheek was rather rosie but didn't think anything of it. this morning, that cheek was blatently red and slapped looking. I called my community midwives to ask if I should be concerned or if I should do anything. They told me to go to my Day Assessment Unit.

So of I went to DAU with this veru obvious bright red patch on one cheek. The midwife I saw did not check the urine sample I had (which the lady on reception had me do before seeing the midwife!), nor did she check my BP or my temp, or check the baby at all. All she did was take a blood test and tell me to call back next Thursday for the results. In the meantime I am not to go near any other pregnant ladies. depending on the results of the blood test, they will then take action.

Well, now I have a week to wait knowing that this can obviously be bad (otherwise why tell me to stay away from pg ladies) and feeling pretty certain that this is what I have (unless slapped looking cheeks are the symptoms of other conditions too?)

Have looked online and see obvious dangers in early pg but conflicting info about dangers in 2nd trimester. Could I really have something other than slapped cheek? And if it IS slapped cheek, what am I looking at here?

I have no idea FMW, I'll bump this for you in the hope someone more knowledgeable will come along.

I do know how worrying it is though as I had CP at 26 weeks. It's probably the 'safest' time to have it but it didn't stop me being scared to death. Hope everything is OK.

Thanks MrsGrinch.

I'm thinking as well, I'm meant to be going to DD's school play tonight and DS's school fair tomorrow. Is it fair to be in an enclosed space with all those people, including lots of children and potentially pregnant women?

Please can anyone help me with this.

Am getting in a bit of a flap now cos I don't know how serious it can be.....

feedmenow - sorry I don't know anything either. try calling the midwife again for some reassurance or the NCT helpline on 0870 444 8707. you need to talk to someone so you can relax.

take care

Found this www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=1112. It seems quite reassuring. hugs to you!

Look at NHS direct on the internet. There is info there.

Me, me, me! I've had it at 18-20 weeks and having repeats scans as follow up. Will get to that later.

Have been meaning to do an intro post for a while but saw this and couldn't wait! You are not alone!!! First the good news - as the infectious period is three weeks before the rash appears, that would make you 22/23wks pregnant at potential first exposure, past the 20 wk period of most risk. And also once the rash comes out the infectious period is over and you are not actually a danger to other pregnant women any longer. There is absolutely no point isolating yourself now - the horse has already bolted so to speak, and your midwife should have known this. I'm surprised she didn't.

(that's also why schools & nurseries tend not to exclude for slapped cheek (unless the child is ill in themselves) - there's no point as they'll have already passed it round!)

The facts: Most people, 60%+ have had it as a child and are hence immune, though reinfection is common. Not nearly as dangerous as if you haven't had it at all. If you haven't had it, and are having an active first outbreak in pregnancy (which the blood test will show) then action depends on the timining of infection. Up to twelve weeks is a slightly increased risk of miscarriage. Up to 20 weeks is a small increased risk of something called hydrops - fluid collection on the baby. Can cause growth issues and anaemia, and sadly a proportion will die. Is monitored by fortnightly scans for at least eight weeks post infection. This is what I'm having. Very severe cases may need an in utero blood transfusion, which has a high degree of success. But mostly just monitoring. May have some implications for birth choices but I haven't talked in depth with my consultant yet.

The Health Protection Agency website is a great one for factual information www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/pregnancy/rashes/default.htm follow through all the different links - I found this site invaluable.

In my case my childminder's own children had it, and so I'd been exposed through my son (who incidentally didn't show symptoms but probably had a sub clinical case). I was 18weeks pregnant at the beginning of the infectious period and so 21weeks when it became clear that was what they had. Had the test which showed that I was not immune and had not had it before, and was in fect in the middle of an active infection - the worst combination bar the fact that I was further on than the biggest risk period.

So, I'm referred to consultant care and he scans me himself fortnightly till 32 weeks (I'm currently 27). No signs of problems for the baby so far, thank goodness. If all is well at 32 wk scan I'll be discharged back to community midwives and will go ahead wioth planned homebirth as normal. Am gooing to ask at next scan what choices there are for managing mild aneamia in the baby, should that happen.

Am very happy to chat about this,

Sparkle

PS as an aside - I don't have much luck with viral diseases in pregnancy - I had chickenpox at 37 weeks last time and baby arrived 6 days later! All well thankfully, but it's just my luck!

Thank you so much Sparkle!

So I should be fine for the school play and fair! Thank goodness! The children would have been really upset if I didn't go!

How long did it take for you to get your blood test results back? The midwife said something to me about having a vaccination if it came back positive......I can't help but wonder what a vaccination would do if I've already had it though?

And to others who replied, thank you for your thoughts and reassurance. I think I may well call NHS direct later just to see if they can enlighten me about liklehoods, etc. I'm just not very good at waiting in situations like this

Bloods took about 10days in total, including getting from the hospital to the docs to me. If you haven't heard anything in that time then ring and start hassling. I know you're beyond the riskiest period but it's very important that you know as soon as possible.

As for a vaccination - there isn't one for parvovirus, so I don't know what your midwife is talking about. She may have been referring to a concurrent investigation for rubella - I know that can be vacinated for but if you had your immunity checked before concieving and during the usual 12wk bloods then it wouldn't arrise.

Parvo/Slapped Cheek is for the most part just one of those childhood diseases that isn't really an issue. They may feel a bit grotty and a bit feverish, as may adults, but it's not really serious. It's out there in the community and flares up from time to time, but many people won't ever realise they've had it. It's only an issue if you've never had it before and are in early pregnancy.

If it's hard facts and figures you're after for reassurance there are some key stas on these links. There are increases in risk but they are small and apply up to 20wks. Given that you were beyond this at first exposure you are highly unlikely to be in any danger. www.hpa.org.uk/cdph/issues/CDPHVol5/No1/rash_illness_guidelines.pdf scroll to page 68. Total incidences - "2-8 fetal hydrops per 100,000 pregnancies (14-56 cases per year in UK). 12-48 per 100,000 spontaneous abortion (84-336 cases per year in UK)" As percentages these are vanishingly small - one half of one percent each. If you are not immune (40% chance) then the group risk of infection is higher at up to 13% but it is still very good odds. And beyond that you'd still have to pass it to the baby, and beyond that there would have to be problems resulting.

I'm not a doctor or medical professional but to me, these were damned good odds, and I felt there were other far more risky things I could be doing than worrying about this. My scans are very reassuring though and it's nice to know the NHS is there and comes through when I needed it to.

Hope you're feeling a bit better,

Sparkle

Godness Sparkle, you know your stuff on this!

Thank you, you have really put it in perspective for me. There are obviously so many "if this" then "this", and "if this" then "this" that there is absolutely no point me worrying about it until I know my results.

I thought the vaccination thing was a load of crap! Either she just didn't know what she was talking about, or she was trying to reassure me that they could do something constructive, maybe.

Anyway, will carry on worrying about ACTUAL issues for the next 6 days - sciatica, nausea, tiredness, christmas presents, christmas dinner, blah, blah, blah - and will leave the slapped cheek thing alone til (and if!) I actually need to worry!