Chicken Pox throughout pregnancy

What it is:

fowl pox is a viral contamination (the varicella virus) that causes red, itchy, fluid-filled blisters to erupt at the pores and skin.

How common is it?

doctors estimate that hen pox infections occur in only one out of each 2,000 pregnancies. approximately ninety percentage of adults these days are immune to the virus, both from having had the disorder in youth or from having been vaccinated in opposition to it.

who's most at danger?

if you are already immune, you do not need to fear about contracting hen pox. Even in case you are not immune, your possibilities of turning into infected are slender. it truly is because the general public are immune already (and most children nowadays are vaccinated).

What are the symptoms?

fowl pox typically starts offevolved at the torso — appearing on the abdomen or returned first, and then spreading to the relaxation of the body. The rash starts offevolved as small, crimson bumps that then grow to be fluid-stuffed blisters, which smash and finally crust over and scab.

must you be worried?

in case you turn out to be infected throughout the primary half of your being pregnant, the possibilities are extremely low that your child could expand a condition known as congenital varicella syndrome, that can cause a few start defects.  if you come down with bird pox later for your being pregnant, there's little threat to the toddler, and your foremost challenge will be the pain of the itchy pox. The exception is in case you get fowl pox just earlier than (within a week) giving delivery or just after transport. If that takes place, your child may be at chance for new child hen pox and may be given an infusion of chicken pox antibodies straight away after transport (or as quickly as it turns into apparent that you've been infected) for protection.

What you could do:

if you're now not certain whether you are proof against bird pox, you may have a blood check to test. if you're now not immune, you have to try to keep away from publicity to the virus all through your being pregnant — skip your niece's  birthday party if her preschool class has had a plague. (Pregnant ladies can not be vaccinated, because the vaccine carries live virus.) in case you're not immune and you have been uncovered, your practitioner may endorse which you get an injection of varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG), which might shield you. if you clearly do come down with bird pox, an injection of VZIG can assist make the contamination less severe; nobody knows but, however, if it protects your child from infection as well.