Risk of Chicken pox?

[Rumpleteaser]

I have arranged to catch up with a friend who I haven't seen in ages, but, she has just told me her DD has chicken pox. I had chicken pox when I was a child and know it is danerous to catch it when PG. But what are the risks for me having had chicken pox? I have good immunity to it as per BT.

[krysalyss]

Probably low risk but it can have pretty bad consequences so I personally wouldn't risk it.

[*EmJa*]

When i was around 36wks pregnant with DD, my 2 nephews and neice all had the chicken pox and i was going to be seeing them that week so my doctor just did the blood test to see if i was immune (i had them when i was a kid) and it came back that i was immune so he said it was absoultley fine to be around them! HTH

[Rumpleteaser]

Thanks for the replies, I must be getting PG brain already. I should have just googled it, this is what I have found:

I'm pregnant. Should I avoid contact with people with chicken pox?

If you had chicken pox as a child, you probably have no reason to worry. Your body has developed antibodies to the virus, making you immune to further infection. However, if you think that you've never had chicken pox, you should avoid contact with people with chicken pox or shingles, a related condition that can be passed on as chicken pox.


What are the risks if I do catch chicken pox?
Chicken pox can be more severe if you catch it while pregnant. Your doctor may offer you aciclovir, which reduces the severity and duration of chickenpox but only if it is given within 24 hours of you developing a rash. Aciclovir is believed to be safe during pregnancy but if you are less than 20 weeks pregnant doctors probably won't recommend it because of the theoretical risk of the drug affecting the baby.

The risks to your baby change greatly depending on when in your pregnancy you catch chicken pox. Before 13 weeks, the risk is small, with only 0.4 per cent of babies suffering any side effects. Babies whose mothers catch chicken pox between 13 and 20 weeks are at slightly greater risk. Around 2 per cent will be underweight when they're born or have birth defects such as scars, and eye problems. They may also be slow to reach the developmental milestones that your health visitor will be checking for.

If you catch chicken pox between 20 and 36 weeks of pregnancy your baby is unlikely to be affected, though he may develop shingles in his first few years of life. After 36 weeks, the risks increase again. If you contract chicken pox just before or after giving birth, the baby is at very serious risk. Should this happen to you, your baby will be given an injection of varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG), a blood product that contains chicken pox antibodies, to reduce his risk of being seriously affected by the disease.

[~Kim~]

Charlotte you should have no reason to worry, but like you I've had the chicken pox and then worked at the Children's Hossy as a nurse. However my DH got shingles when I was 6wks and I was out of my mind with worry until I could get my immuntiy tests back.
I probably wouldn't risk it.

[ShootingStar]

Yeh i wouldnt risk it either to be honest. Even though you have had it before theres still that chance you can have it again or contract the shingles (i think!). I would rather be safe than sorry.