Chickenpox in pregnant women - By: Groshan Fabiola

Chickenpox is a condition that often occurs in children. Childhood is the most common life period of chickenpox development. Even so chickenpox may occur in adults too but with more severe symptoms and complications.

It is known that chickenpox may be spread through direct contact with the infected persons but also by air. Other known cases of chickenpox spreading are from a pregnant mother to her unborn child.

It is good to know that in most of the pregnant women, chickenpox does not cause lasting harm for them or for their babies. Even so 14 percent of the pregnant women that develop chickenpox develop pulmonary involvement with potential pneumonia in the most severe cases.

More than that about 1.4 percent of the babies exposed to chickenpox infections in the first 7 months of pregnancy will develop the fatal condition called fetal varicella syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by problems of skin loss and scarring, underdevelopment of limbs or a reduced birth weight. It is also good to know that babies that are exposed to their mother’s infection around the delivery date will develop problems.

Another important thing to know is that women that have already had chickenpox are immune to this problem. The babies are also protected because their mothers will develop antibodies that will be transferred to them.

It is recommended for the pregnant women to avoid the exposure to people that have chickenpox or shingles and should seek for medical help if such exposures do occur. An urgent treatment with varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (VZIG) is needed in order to prevent or just reduce the severity of infection in pregnant women. This treatment is recommended for the newborn children too, especially for those that are at risk of receiving inadequate transfer of protective antibodies from their mothers.

Another important thing is the administration of the antiviral drug called acyclovir to women who develop different forms of complications of chickenpox or for the newborn babies with chickenpox which mothers develop the chickenpox rash between 4 days before and 2 days after giving birth.

Doctors agree that a proper treatment is crucial in these cases and a close monitoring of pregnant women is recommended in order to assure the prompt treatment for women and their babies and to minimize the risks.

The problems that have to be treated when it comes to chickenpox are acute pain, opioid overdose, nausea and vomiting, asthma, infections, diabetic emergencies, angina, seizures, bleeding or anaphylaxis.

About the Author

For more information about chicken pox vaccine or even about adult chicken pox please review this page http://www.chicken-pox-center.com/

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