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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

slapped cheek disease

21 replies

Bell2 · 17/11/2004 14:08

Hello all
I'm new to Mumsnet and I'm sorry but I'm not going to start off with a happy post. Last Friday I visited a friend and her daughter with my daughter. I found out there were cases of slapped chhek at her daughters nursery. I'm pregnant and am worried that her daughter might have been contagious and I might not be immune. Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks Jo x

OP posts:

berolina · 17/11/2004 14:22

Hi Bell and welcome to MN - I am really new myself but have found it so easy just to take the plunge and join in.
You must be worried (I know how you feel - I am the author of the paranoid toxoplasmosis post immediately below yours!) I've just done a quick search and it seems the miscarriage risk relates particularly to the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and occurs only 'in rare cases', so you're looking at a small risk even if you do get it. NHS Direct says: 'most pregnant women with parvovirus infection have normal healthy babies'. Also, more than 50% of people are immune, so chances are you are too. You can have a blood test done to check whether you are immune - if it's negative it can be repeated at a later stage if you're worried about having had contact since then. Maybe talk to your midwife about this. I do hope this helps and you feel reassured.

berolina · 17/11/2004 14:24

Hi again. Just found another figure - the risk is less than 1 in 100 after close contact with someone who has the disease.

iota · 17/11/2004 14:24

Hi bell2 - my ds2 had slapped cheek and one of nursery nurses at his nursery was pregnant - how bad did I feel !!! she wasn't too worried though and everything was fine.

Spacecadet · 17/11/2004 14:37

Hi there, My recent pregnancy was riddled with scares including this one, I am also a nurse myself.The slapped cheek desease is called parvo virus b19 and is virtually unheard of in adults.Most people come into contact with it as children and often dont know they had it.The risk is greatest up to about 20 weeks of pregnancy and it is possible to have a blood test to find out if you are immune, if you arent and you think you may have symptoms which usually involve feeling flu like adults dont normally develope the rash, your midwife can arrange some growth scans to check that everything is ok,Saying that My 3 year old son had fifth desease 18 weeks into my pregnancy but a blood test confirmed that I had it as a child, despite my mum being unable to recall it!! the gp told me that it was extremely rare for someone to contract is as an adult,If you are worried go and have the test to put your mind at rest, the results usually come back ina bout a week, good luck.

Lonelymum · 17/11/2004 14:41

I second everything said already. Mine had it when I was trying to conceive (or may have been just preganant - it was that close) and baby and I came to no harm. Try not to worry.

Marina · 17/11/2004 14:51

Hi Bell2, welcome to Mumsnet.
How pregnant are you? The risk to pregnant women and their unborn babies post 20 weeks gestation is zero. If you were under 20 weeks when the exposure took place then you should mention it to your midwife/GP and get a blood test done to confirm your immunity (50/50 chance as Berolina says).
While I wouldn't worry, I would ask for the blood test, and insist it is done (your GP might be dismissive of your concerns).
How do I know this? Because I had a slapped cheek disease scare in my third pregnancy and I was surprised at how seriously my consultant took it. While he agreed it was very rare for the baby to suffer any harm, he still felt it was an avoidable risk and should be investigated. I was immune, most UK-born women are. If I had not been, I would have been booked for a couple of extra scans to make sure the baby was OK thereafter.

Original poster

Bell2 · 18/11/2004 11:40

Thanks everyone for your replies - it nice to be welcomed to Mumsnet. Today I'm trying not to worry too much but you know how it is
Jo x

OP posts:

gingernut · 18/11/2004 12:24

I agree with Marina, I would ask for the blood test if you were less than 20 weeks when possibly exposed. I too had a slapped cheek scare in my current pg. It turned out I was not immune, however despite having contact with a child who developed slapped cheek, I didn't develop the illness myself and didn't develop any new antibodies so I didn't actually catch it from him. I had to have 2 blood tests to determine this. The results took longer than a week - more like 2-3 weeks IIRC. It was a worrying time, so I sympathise with how you are feeling. The risks are low even if you catch it but there are potentially serious complications (hydrops foetalis) so it is worth knowing for certain if you are at risk. Here is a link to a factsheet .

HTH.

Spacecadet · 18/11/2004 15:12

In my case the results were back in a week.As I said the greatset risk is during the 1st 20 weeks and the risk is mainly of misscarriage but this is most likely during the first trimester, however the desease is actually only contagious 4-20 days before the rash appears, so if your friends child had the rash already you have nothing to worry about,you dont say how preg you are but I advise that you see your gp without delay who will decide the best course of action

berolina · 19/11/2004 21:57

Just a question out of interest - if you have contact with someone who's had contact with a case of slapped cheek and that person is immune (and you're not), can they still pass it on to you?

Original poster

Bell2 · 21/11/2004 13:10

Sorry I have no idea about the contact with an immune person who has been in contact with someone with slap cheek - they may act as a carrier, I'm not sure.

I'm 28 weeks now but am still worried about my exposure to slap cheek. I can't believe that my 'friend' didn't think it would be a problem even though all the nursery notice say to avoid pregnant woman.

I can't relax until my blood results come back and still won't if they suggest I'm not immune.

I'm feeling very depressed at the moment.
Jo x

OP posts:

Tipex · 21/11/2004 19:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Spacecadet · 21/11/2004 20:24

Please dont worry a n immune person will not contract slapped cheek nor will they harbour it and pass it on.

gingernut · 21/11/2004 23:45

Bell2, I really feel for you. People kept trying to reassure me, telling me I was bound to be immune....then it turned out I wasn't and I had several more weeks of waiting before being given the all-clear. I can't offer you any more advice though...really hope it turns out OK for you. You are at least past the highest risk time of the first 20 weeks.

Original poster

Bell2 · 29/11/2004 11:55

Hello all
Just an update really - I've had my results back and it appears that I'm not already immune so now I have another worrying 2 week to see whether I have contacted parvovirus......
Jo x

OP posts:

Tipex · 29/11/2004 12:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Marina · 29/11/2004 12:07

Jo, do remember the risk is VERY slight (easier said than done as I remember how worried I was until I got my results and I had less time to wait than you did).
Now that you are in the system for testing negative at this stage, ask for follow-up appointment and if it does turn out you contracted it, make sure you get a couple of extra scans done to keep an eye on the baby.
The main thing is that you are aware of this VERY SLIGHT RISK and now your GP is too.
Hugs, you poor thing.
I've always puzzled over why everyone is given a syphilis test in early pregnancy whereas for many mums their lifestyle (older children around, or eating rare steak/gardening/owning cats/holidaying in France) means they are at much greater risk of parvovirus B19 or toxoplasmosis.

Spacecadet · 29/11/2004 15:30

Jo please try not to worry, I know its easier said then done, the risk is very slight and you would know if you had it as the symptoms are more severe in adults.Have you had any flu like symptons with a rash at all? If not then please try not to worry.It is EXTREMEMLY rare for an adult to contract parvovirus b19 and even rarer for it to have done any harm to your baby.

Original poster

Bell2 · 15/12/2004 16:33

Hello again
Thanks to all those who responded and made me feel so much better. I have had the results back from my second set of blood test and they showed up negative too - so I didn't catch it

However as it's still doing the rounds I'm still concerned but who said pregnancy was easy!
Jo x

OP posts:

Tipex · 15/12/2004 20:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Spacecadetiscomingtotown · 15/12/2004 21:31

Jo thats brill news! hopefully you can relax abit now and enjoy christmas?

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