Slap Cheek during pregnancy

[LisaQ]

Hi,
I hope you are going OK. Did you find out if you have had the virus?

I guess when I was first exposed to the slapped-check (human parvo) virus I must have been around 6-8 weeks pg. All three of my kids had it one after another and apparently it incubates for around 2 weeks. So I would have been exposed from about 6 weeks of pg until around 12 weeks.

I wasn't really sick and didn't have symptoms of the parvo virus, or didn't realise I had any. I did have morning sickness and the usual tiredness so I guess that could have masked the symptoms of a mild virus.

The majority of adults have already been exposed to the virus and are immune/ have antibodies so I wasn't really worried about catching the virus anyway. But just to be on the safe side I had a blood test at 14 weeks of pg. This confirmed that I did have, or had just had, an active infection of the parvo virus.

Being infected with parvo in the first half of pg is apparently worse than later on. Late in pg the fetus has some immune function of it's own and can fight off or recover from the virus spontaneously.

But I still wasn't too concerned about these results because it still seemed like a very low risk that the baby would pick up the virus from me. From what I have read, even when a mum has an active infection, the virus only has about a 10% chance of crossing the placenta and infecting the baby.

I did agree to have an amnio though, just to exclude the possibility that the baby was infected. And I was devastated when the results came back positive for the baby.

We had a couple of pretty bad weeks after than, being very anxious about what it would mean for the baby. Lots of the research we read was very negative and scary. But then my DH found a newer study, a really large meta-analysis which was more reassuring. It pretty much said even when a baby becomes infected in the first half of pregnancy, most times there are no lasting ill-effects. It also seemed to indicate that if the baby is all OK within 12 weeks of exposure then the chances are everything will be fine.

Then we had the doppler at 22 weeks and it all looked good so I went back to being considered a low risk pregnancy again. But I think the extra worry is something that a pregnant mum can definitely do without. It has taken a lot of the fun out of this pregnancy.

I hope you have been given the OK too. Best wishes,

Lisa

[csab]

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for sharing hun. I atm havent been given the results just yet, but I must agree with you that this type of stress is definately something that pg women can do without. As it is only my DD who has had it just yet, who knows whether the other 3 will end up with it. Then of course I too could be in the same position as you with several weeks of this strain within the home. Just as we speak my youngest is having a bit of a cough. So hopefully it is just a tickle in her throat and not Slap cheek.

I am hopeing to get my results back today, yet not expecting it tho until at least Tuesday. I have read the same type of information as yourself in relation to the 10% risk and I must say that it eased my mind somewhat, than what it would have if I didnt read up on it. There is always hope that all will be ok.

I have been advised to keep an eye on any symptoms but as you said, half the time it could just be pg related. I will be having an u/s done today for peace of mind, and after having bouts of spotting over the past 3weeks. So hopefully I will see little bub's heart happily beating away.

I will let you know how everything goes and also once I get my BT results back.

Thanks again, and I am so sorry you had to endure such a rough time in your pg too. I have been hanging out to enjoy my pg, yet to nervous and worried to let my guard down so to speak. I am so very happy to hear that your little one has gotten past the scarey time, and I really hope that now you have the best time with the rest of your pg. Lots of hugs

Cheryl

[csab]

Hi Lisa,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with this virus. ATM I still havent got a result from my BT that had been done, so hopefully I will get it either today or Tuesday. Seems to just drag on.

ATM only my DD has come down with it, yet it is quite possible that my younger DD is copming down with it too. Who knows if my other 2 kids will as well. If that happens then I could well be facing with a long few weeks with this virus around me and the Bub. Hopefully too I am immune yet only time will tell I guess.

I will be having an U/S done today due to some spotting I have been having for the past 3weeks, as well as peace of mind, especially with this clouding over my head. So hopefully I will find my bub's HB happily flashing back at me.

I know what you mean about the pg symtoms may have masked the other symptoms, as I have been advised to watch for any symptoms, yet half the time it could just be pg related. So we can be in a bit of a pickle when we are pg.

I am so sorry that you have had such a long and rough half of your pg, yet I am so happy to hear that your little baby is doing brilliantly. That is music to my ears. I truly hope that you get to enjoy the rest of your pg the way you were supposed to from the very beginning. I am praying that I will get to that point in my pg too, where I can just cruise along without any worries on the world.

As soon as I find out what the results are, and how the u/s goes I will let you know.

Thanks again and TC. Lots of Hugs

Cheryl