Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Can Chickenpox Be Contracted By The Fetus?
Question: Hello,
Iam 10 weeks pregnant.i got infected with chicken pox during 9th week.what are the chances of my foetus getting the infection.should I Continue with my pregnancy or consider terminating it.please help.
Iam 10 weeks pregnant.i got infected with chicken pox during 9th week.what are the chances of my foetus getting the infection.should I Continue with my pregnancy or consider terminating it.please help.
Brief Answer:
You can continue with the pregnancy
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Let me assure you that chickenpox around the time of delivery is what concerns us and not chicken pox at the onset of pregnancy. You therefore can continue this pregnancy without any worries.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Prof. Kunal Saha, General & Family Physician
You can continue with the pregnancy
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Let me assure you that chickenpox around the time of delivery is what concerns us and not chicken pox at the onset of pregnancy. You therefore can continue this pregnancy without any worries.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Prof. Kunal Saha, General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
But my gynac says that there are chances though less that my baby be infected with varicella syndrome which may lead to birth defects like,hearing problem,mental disability,eye defect etc.please guide me as I am too much worried.
Brief Answer:
Risk is low, but present
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
If chickenpox develops during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy — particularly between weeks eight and 20 — the baby faces a slight risk of a rare group of serious birth defects known as congenital varicella syndrome.
The risk for your baby, therefore, is low but cannot be ruled out. The risk is high in the latter part of pregnancy, especially around the time of delivery.
What your gynecologist is saying is not baseless. Now, you would have to make a choice whether to go ahead with the low risk that is present or whether to play safe.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Prof. Kunal Saha, General & Family Physician
Risk is low, but present
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
If chickenpox develops during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy — particularly between weeks eight and 20 — the baby faces a slight risk of a rare group of serious birth defects known as congenital varicella syndrome.
The risk for your baby, therefore, is low but cannot be ruled out. The risk is high in the latter part of pregnancy, especially around the time of delivery.
What your gynecologist is saying is not baseless. Now, you would have to make a choice whether to go ahead with the low risk that is present or whether to play safe.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Prof. Kunal Saha, General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Can you please tell me risk percentage?
Whether I would know through some means in latter part of pregnancy that my baby got the infection or not.also tell me what is the infection date of chickenpox, when we get the virus or when the rash starts appearing?is there any treatment to avoid the infection?
Whether I would know through some means in latter part of pregnancy that my baby got the infection or not.also tell me what is the infection date of chickenpox, when we get the virus or when the rash starts appearing?is there any treatment to avoid the infection?
Brief Answer:
Any steps will not make a difference
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your apprehension. But such a risk cannot be expressed in percentage.
For the people/babies affected, it is 100%, for others unaffected it is 0%. It cannot be predicted who would land up in which pool.
I can tell you that your chances of landing in the affected pool is pretty low. But you would have to make the hard choice.
Now, you would have to make a choice whether to go ahead with the low risk that is present or whether to play safe.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Prof. Kunal Saha, General & Family Physician
Any steps will not make a difference
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your apprehension. But such a risk cannot be expressed in percentage.
For the people/babies affected, it is 100%, for others unaffected it is 0%. It cannot be predicted who would land up in which pool.
I can tell you that your chances of landing in the affected pool is pretty low. But you would have to make the hard choice.
Now, you would have to make a choice whether to go ahead with the low risk that is present or whether to play safe.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Prof. Kunal Saha, General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
