My friend has chickenpox and I'm pregnant. Should I worry?

It's not dangerous to you after the first 3 months of pregnancy, I don't believe.

If you've already had chickenpox, you can't catch it again. I had shingles when I was 20 weeks pregnant and my son is absolutely fine.

HTH

Have you had chicken pox yourself in the past? Have you asked on BT?

If you've had chicken pox before then I think you'll most likely be OK.

If not, then you could phone your midwife and ask her.

Have you asked on BT as well as here?

Have you had the pox? If you have, I think your antibodies should protect the baby but you might want to get that confirmed from a professional! If you haven't, you should call your GP asap.

Not meaning to be nasty, but try posting on BT. They'll have the answer!

I'd love to know if this is fact or a Hitched myth, as I've had it twice. Badly both times.

If it's a fact, how come I had it twice?? Am I speshul?

Sorry everyone, i thought I was on BabyTalk - doh! I've had chickenpox before so hopefully should be ok. Will ask on BT and maybe ring the midwife too. Thanks to all those who replied.

I've had it 3 times. Once mildly, and twice badly.

[top trump]I know someone who's had it three times[/top trump] So no, not speshul, I'm afraid!

? I think it's very unlikely you will get it twice, as your body usually builds up immunity to the virus. So you are speshul, Peaches ?

Peaches:

This is true as a general rule, although there do seem to be exceptions.

Mostly 'second cases of chicken pox' are due to a wrong diagnosis (because there are no tests specific to chicken pox, it's a clinical diagnosis based on looking at the spots).

Don't know the complciated immunology behind why some people seem to get it more than once, sorry.

Scientific stuff at

http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=x20030701105911527470&linkID=66934&cook=yes

http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tphealth/0,,hfbc,00.html

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5259/is_199506/ai_n20500203

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/chickenpox.html

http://fistfulofeuros.net/pedantry/archives/001066.html

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080708075937AALWNlU

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=541212

According to these sites, you can get it more than once.

Have to say I'm ? at the fact one of the sites is moneysavingexpert.com !!

Clairy, I always knew I was speshul. Mr P keeps telling me they broke the mould when they made me ??

I'm on my 3rd dose of chickepox (all being well I go back to work tomorrow)

I had it the first time when I was about 3, then again when I was 15, and again at the grand old age of 42!

I don't know whether the first one was misdiagnosed, but can say for certain that the second time and now are definite chickenpox. I've only had it mildly this time,but the dosctor seemed sure, and she also brought in a doctor who specialises in dermatology to confirm it, the first wave on spots were blistering at that point, before more popped up the next few days!)

I have had it twice too...and german measles twice aswell, which I was always told you couldn't get more than once (though I got it straight after my rubella injection which apparently was odd!).

Peaches, a tiny percentage of the population can get chicken pox more than once and of that percentage, only a small amount actually do. I'm one of the lucky ones and have had it three times. ? I was hospitalised the second time (infectious diseases ward, scary stuff!) and it was a specialist who told me about it. I need to take super duper anti-virals if I come into contact with CP. The vast majority cannout get chicken pox twice.

To the OP, it all depends on whether you have had it. If you hadn't, I would go to your gp. ?

I always knew you were speshul too Mrs M ?

I am also on my second bout of 'the pox'. Have had it for over 3 weeks and it is driving me nuts.

My mum also has it but apparently must have been subjected to it before she came on holiday here as her spots surfaced two days after she arrived.

We are both now housebound at opposite ends of the country.

I have been told that I need to steer well clear of pregnant people and the doctors had me sit in a separate room just incase!!

And clearly everyone of that small group is on Hitched, right now. ?I'm another one who has had CP 3 times and German Measles twice. And shingles once for good measure.

The doctor who diagnosed me the third time said it was impossible to catch multiple times and previous diagnoses had obviously been incorrect. I mentioned that it was him who had diagnosed the second bout and asked him which one he thought was incorrectly diagnosed? He consulted with a specialist and then acknowledged that it could be caught multiple times.

I suspect catching CP more than once is more common than is currently claimed.

To answer the OP, no need to worry. The only concern is if you are exposed to the pox very near term and the baby is born with it, I believe. Otherwise, 'tis nothing to bother about. I thought it was rubella that was damaging in the first few weeks of pregnancy?

Nope CP as well. Can cause CP syndrome. Eye problems, underdeveloped limbs and brain damage. 2% get it before 20 weeks (generally bet 14 & 20 is the big risk time)

That's partly true, catching it near term can transmit to the baby, although catching it in the first 20 weeks can be a risk to the baby too.

It's a myth. I've also had it twice (aged 10 and aged 14). My mother's had it three times.