Slap Cheek during pregnancy

I discovered today that I was exposed to slap cheek last weekend. I've now got a sore throat and runny nose which could be anything but could also be early symptoms. I couldn't get hold of my OB or my GP today and my OB is now off duty until Monday. I did speak to the nurse at the GP's who didn't really know much but thought it would be OK as I was past 20 weeks. Mum is sure I didn't have it as a child so I'm probably not immune.

Has anyone else out there had it and have any advice? I'm really attempting not to get over anxious about this but did read somewhere about something called hydrops fetalis which is also linked to Rh- mothers (that's me too).

Thanks

My friends daughter had this a couple of weeks ago, and when i told my midwife she almost had a heart attack even though i told her i hadn't been near them
Apparently it's very dangerous to pregnant women, i'm sorry i don't mean to scare you, but you really should go to a Dr or your ob ASAP!

Slapped Cheek disease, when contracted during pregnancy, can cause a fetal abnormality called hydrops fetalis, which results in swelling and sometimes cardiac damage to the developing fetus.

We too had a scare during my wife's pregnancy, when our little girl caught what could only be slapped cheek - her cheeks looked like they were about to peel off.

The good news is that a large percentage of the population have been exposed to it in the past, as it is quite common. However, you need to get a blood test as soon as possible to see whether you have been exposed to it before. If you have, then there is no problem. If you haven't been exposed to it before, then our hospital clinic recommended weekly ultrasounds to check on the baby's heart.

Luckily, my wife had been exposed to it before, so we didn't need to go down that route.


You can find information about hydrops fetalis on Wikipedia. You can also find information about Slapped Cheek; it's proper name is Parvovirus B19. You might also like to let your GP, or their nurse, know that this actually IS fairly serious and that you need to be seen ASAP to determine your previous exposure. That might streamline the process of being seen.

That all sounds like really good advice blackbird. I know that my Ob checked my immunity when I had my blood test. He said that I am not immune, but there is not much I can do about it. If I am at all concerned that I may be developing symptoms, to contact him straight away. And in the meantime, stay away from anyone who has it........

So I think you should definitely get in contact with your HCP, or whoever is relieving them when they are off-duty. If only for your own peace of mind. Good luck, I hope it's just a cold :)

Thanks everyone. I'll go to the GP in the morning. I'm sure he'll agree to me having a blood test even if he doesn't initiate the idea IYKWIM.

I wasn't using the term parvovirus 'cos everyone I used it with thought I was talking about a dog disease. :eek:

Michael - it's great having you on here!

Thanks Brooke. I have an ultrasound appt on Monday too with a really nice sonographer. I'll tell her too.

I hadn't heard of it before until the Adelaide footballer got it recently and couldn't play for weeks.

Saw the duty GP at my usual clinic this morning and he was next to useless. He didn't know anything about complications with pregnancy and didn't even know if you could get tests done. That said, given I said I wanted the test, he rang the lab and double checked and ordered the test. When I went to the path lab next door, they said it was a reasonably common test, nothing out of the ordinary at all.

I'll get results Monday and have a little vent to my usual GP about his colleague. Thanks for your advice and support.

Some drs are numbnuts.
I actually thought Jenna might have had this over the last week, I took her to the dr, and she said if I develop any symptoms I need to get some blood tests done, and they can see if the virus is there.
When I explained it to my mum she seemed to think that there was every possiblity we had it as children, and she put it down to teething.
Apparently its not so bad after 20w. Apparently......

Good luck with the test.

Hey blackbird, how did you go with your test results and u/s?

U/S was great - blood flow and placenta all good (no sign of anemia) and heart looking very healthy. she checked everything they normally would if I had tested positive. According to their calcs, DS is already 6 pounds 6 with plenty of room still to grow!

Idiot Dr still hadn't called me by nearly 5pm (he knew I was worried..grr) so I rang and chased him. I don't have previous immunity and was negative for current exposure. He obviously did a bit of research in the meantime and worked out that the incubation period may not have completed when I did the test so wants to re-test in 2 weeks unless my OB says differently.

Seeing the OB on Thursday. As my U/S was so good, I'll talk to him about it then.

Thanks for all your interest and support! :hug:

Glad your u/s went well, Blackbird.
When I was pregnant with Gab, we had slapcheek going around the school where I worked. It was actually the Principal and the VP's that alerted me to it and told me to mention it to my GP. I too had no immunity. He wanted me to take time off work until it was no longer prevalent in the school! I was in the 1st trimester so right at the danger period. I told my doctor that it was ridiculous to suggest me taking time off work... after all, I was responsible for 28 children who'd already had a teacher change that year. So I sent a note out to all their parents informing them of my pregnancy. I asked that if they had any inkling that their child was exposed to or showing the affects of slap cheek that they inform me and not bring the child to school. The parents all took it SO well and I got many, many congratulations. The virus ran through a few preps and some 5/6 kids but never hit the 1/2 department where I worked so I am glad I didn't take any time off work. I thought my boss handled it all brilliantly - she even gave me a heap of information about the virus.

At my last school one poor pregnant woman had to work in district office for weeks until all cases at the school had been cleared. She was told to stay away which was pretty scary for her and disruptive for the class. I haven't seen any cases at my new school at all.

hi
i too have no immunity and unfortunately not enough info for us when we need it.im a hairdresser and i have to put a sign up at work saying if anyone has had or been in contact that i cannot do their hair.a client of mine miscarried due to her 4yr old having it.im sorry i said that but i just wish people new about it being pregnant is hard enough at times let alone having to deal with parvovirus(yep everyone thinks its a dogs disease)
kel

Kel... I agree. I'd never even heard of parvovirus before it was mentioned to me. If it's still about and is still so risky, why isn't it made more public?

Interestingly enough my OB includes that in routine bloodtest when you go for your first apt, that along with toxo and a few other things. That way you KNOW what your immunities are and know what you can do about it. But I agree more information needs to be out there.

*hugs*
Cailin

hi
yep my ob tests for all of that straight up.she said it can make the baby anemic and would have to do a transfusion in uetro wow.people think you are overreacting which really annoys me.

I hope you are okay Blackbird - how did things go?

A great percentage of adults are immune to parvo virus. The good news is for Blackbird that this illness is most dangerous to pregnant women in the first trimester.

Cailin as you have said most obs will do this in their routine screen.

It IS a very real concern for pregnant women and it makes me cross when I see parents with little ones and a snotty nose and a bright red face! I think our society has become a bit blase about illness and just how readily we can all be exposed.

:hug:

Parvo virus aka slapcheek is highly contagious and is spread by droplet. This is why a large number of the adult population are immune because a large number have been in contact with it.

So, you sneeze an put your hand over your mouth and then shake my hand and I wipe my mouth and there is a good chance that communication has taken place.

Slapcheek is often a very mild illness in children with a runny nose but the red slapped affect the cheeks get is a give away.

Generally speaking youshould be screened / tested for CMV, Parvo, toxo, varicella, rubella on your routine bloods. Check with your doctor. If you haven't been tested it's worthwhile just so you know that you need to be a little more wary.
CMV, Parvo and toxo are not illnesses that you can be vaccinated for so the only immunity you will have is if you have been exposed.
I hope that helps