Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
|
|
 Ask Dr. Cates
Chickenpox Risk to Pregnant Women | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
My four-year-old was just diagnosed with shingles, and I am 13 weeks pregnant. The doctor was not "exactly sure" it is shingles, but the rash is from her neck, to shoulder, and down her arm. I read on another website that this is dangerous to my unborn child, even though I have had chickenpox and my own outbreak of shingles. What really are the risk factors here?— M in California | | | ANSWER |
June 22, 2001 | | | Dear M,
It is hard to say whether or not your daughter has shingles without seeing her, but even assuming that she does, if you are certain that you have had chickenpox already, you have nothing to worry about. It sounds as if you already know that shingles is caused by re-activation of the chickenpox virus years after the original infection. Once you have had chickenpox, you are immune and it is extremely unlikely that you will catch it again--your antibodies will protect both you and your unborn baby.
If you are not sure you have had chickenpox, you should check with your practitioner right away. She can determine whether or not you are at risk by seeing if you have antibodies to varicella. Pregnant women who have had significant exposure to chickenpox, and who have not already had the disease themselves, can be protected if they receive an antibody preparation called varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG). This needs to be given within 96 hours of exposure--the sooner after exposure, the more likely it is to be effective. The reason for this precaution is that pregnant women can become very ill from chickenpox, and if they are infected in the first trimester or early second trimester, occasionally the baby can have long-term problems.
In the meantime, be sure to have your daughter followed closely until her rash gets better. It is unusual to see shingles in young children--it is more common in older adults--so it is possible that her rash is caused by something else that may need special treatment.— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
|
