Slapped cheek in pregnancy - help please

[Cillapops]

My friend has been told today that her daughter has slapped cheek. My daughter, (aged 2) also has symptoms and has been lethargic, croaky throat and occasional vomiting. I am 18 weeks pregnant and now very concerned. I am goijg for a blood test tomorrow but since speaking to the doctor I am experiencing symptoms - this could be my imagination running wild.

How worried do you think I need to be? I don't know if I had this as a child.

Not too worried. 60% of adults have had it and your blood test will show if you have or not. Even if you aren't immune and you get it it doesn't necessarily mean the baby will be affected. Also the further along you are in your pregnancy the better so that is on your side. Don't think vomiting is a sign of slapped cheek though. Rash, mild fever and/or mild cold symptoms. www.womens-health.co.uk/parvo.asp I'm in a similar situation.

Thanks for that.

The vomiting may not be linked - it may be due to shoving an enormous piece of banana down her throat!

WHen my son had slapped cheek he had a high temperature, very very red cheeks and was irritable.

Slapped cheek I was told is worse in the early stages of pregancy i.e first trimester. However most of us have been exposed to it when we were children without even realising it.

Try not to worry too much about it, its only been recognised as a problem for a few years now and there is nothing you can do at the mmoment about it. I can sympathise with you though as I was in the same position. You probably have been exposed to this as a child. My DS had slapped cheek in oct last year when I was about 20 weeks pregnant. I didnt realise that it was a problem until december. I had a blood test and they couldnt find any problem, however they did say that the virus may have left the blood stream and not show up so they couldnt tell if I had had it or not. I had a consultants appointment about 2 weeks later and was given the all clear.

I had this in first trimester. I first noticed it in DS1, and went straight to the doctor. We were then referred straight to the hospital ante-natal clinic where (heavily chaperoned so we didn't start an epidemic) they did a blood test and a scan to check for a heartbeat. Scan was fine. Blood test showed I had caught slapped cheek but they just decided to keep an eye on things. DS2 was fine in the end.

Reassuring to hear that thanks BoffinMum.

I was paranoid about this at about 12 weeks (for no real reason other than the fact it was something to worry about) so asked for my immunity to be checked. I asked my Mum whether I'd had it and she was sure I hadn't. As it turned out - I had had it as a child but my Mum wasn't aware what it was. I don't think it was as recognised as it is now. So, fingers crossed you've already had it.