How dangerous is shingles to a pregnany women? Pls help

[MINNIE1]

I found out last Thursday that my DP has shingles, I am currently 7wks pregnant. I have had chicken pox when i was younger. Has anyone got advice, or ever delt with this situation???
I also have to itchy spots on my belly now..

[bobbybob]

If you've had chicken pox you should be okay.

Because of the spots and your pregnancy I would call the docs or NHS direct.

Poor DP, My MIL is still recovering from shingles.

[Hulababy]

You can't catch shingles from chicken pox, (or from someone else with shingles IIRR).

You can however catch chicken pox from someone with shingles - however yOU have had chicken pox and are therefore immune.

Shingles occurs only in people who have had chicken pox. It lies dormant in the body. Shingles normally occurs by triggers such as stress or illness.


However, why not phone and speak to your HV who can tell you where you stand.

if you think you have got shingles then you really do need to speak to HV. No idea if it is safe or not in pg - but you need to make sure.

[Hulababy]

You can't catch shingles from chicken pox, (or from someone else with shingles IIRR).

You can however catch chicken pox from someone with shingles - however yOU have had chicken pox and are therefore immune.

Shingles occurs only in people who have had chicken pox. It lies dormant in the body. Shingles normally occurs by triggers such as stress or illness.


However, why not phone and speak to your HV who can tell you where you stand.

if you think you have got shingles then you really do need to speak to HV. No idea if it is safe or not in pg - but you need to make sure.

[Hulababy]

Sorry for that!

[MINNIE1]

Thank you,
Will speak to the MW tomor and see what she says have a scan aswell so hoping all will be ok, This would be the second time he has got shingles.

[Miaou]

Minnie, huge amounts of sympathy to you and your dh - dh had shingles about two or three years ago - in his EYE - it was horrible and he spent about a year afterwards on steroids as a result, which sent him spiralling into depression .... sorry don't mean to scare you, it just bugs me how people don't realise just how serious it is sometimes

I would back up Hulababy's very clear description of where you stand - you are no more likely to develop it now that dh has got it than you were before, but always best to check up with m/w on that.

[MINNIE1]

will ring the doctor later, Please please hope this will not affect my pregnancy. I am worried sick, I have wanted this for so long and this has to happen...

[footstep]

Aww Minnie

Sorry you're going through this. The early weeks of pregnancy are so stressful already, without added worries like this.

It looks like, because you've had chicken pox, your dh's shingles aren't a threat to you or the baby, because you are already immune to the virus (and so is the baby).

See here and here

Hopefully your doctor will put your mind at rest.

footstep

x

[MINNIE1]

footstep,
thank you, Been in tears and my boss just keeps looking at me. Lets hope all will be ok and i will ring the doctors as soon as the office clears a bit. DP feels guilty already about this, and he is in alot of pain with the shingles. Just our luck!!!

[berolina]

Minnie,
As someone who had a scare re. shingles in (albeit later) pregnancy I can only echo what others have said. If you know you've had chicken pox you're almost certainly OK. Even if the worst came to the worst, which in your case I'm sure it won't, the chances of the baby being affected at all are really very, very small. All rashes should be reported in pg though so do ring the doc's. (Also, you can only catch shingles if you have direct contact with the spots themselves, so that sends the odds down stll further).
Hoping you get some reassurance