Chicken pox in pregnancy!

[StarrySkies]

Just a few questions if anyone can help?

Basically my son has been exposed to chicken pox from a friends daughter. My friend has told me that I (along with my son) will most likely catch them too or shingles

From what I understand, you can't catch shingles from someone with chicken pox and the chances of me getting chicken pox again is slim anyway (I had them pretty bad as a child, I remember them clear as day too).

If I didn't have them as a child and have immunity that's when I should worry about being exposed and catching them whilst pregnant right?

She's not having any of it though and has told me to go to the doctor to "err on the side of caution"

Thing is my son hasn't even caught them (he's not had them before) so is it even worth bothering the doctor with this

Her daughter got them two weeks ago and that's the last time we saw them! I know there's an incubation period but surely my son would be showing symptoms by now?


x

 

[FarmersWife5]

Well.. If you have already had chicken pox, it is VERY UNLIKELY you would get them again. And if he doesnt even have them yet, I wouldnt worry too much. And you are correct you cannot get shingles from someone with chicken pox. Here is a site for you about it, you may find helpful. good luck!

One more thing has your son been vaccinated for chicken pox? If so, it is also VERY UNLIKELY for him to even get them.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722564/

 

[Larkspur]

The only reason you would go to a doctor would be so he or she can reassure you that your friend doesn't know what she's talking about!

1. If it's two weeks later, you're past incubation period, so your son doesn't have it. You can stop reading now if you like.

2. If you had it as a child, you are extremely unlikely to get it again as you will have strong immunity, especially since you were older. Repeat versions are usually when the child has it very young and their immune system is not fully developed.

3. You can't catch shingles from chickenpox. Basically, chickenpox is a virus of the herpes family, it attaches to certain nerve clusters. Shingles is when the virus is reactivated for some reason (like being really run down), and travels along the nerve clusters and blisters out, just like a cold sore. It's basically a secondary form of the chickenpox virus. If you haven't had chickenpox, you can't get shingles.

4. It's possible to never have had chickenpox, but to have acquired immunity. This is my situation. I was exposed to shingles during my pregnancy, so I had an immunity test. Even though I have never had chickenpox, I have acquired immunity (so obviously I fought it off as a kid and acquired immunity that way). This immunity is just as good as immunity from having the disease.