What if my child has chicken pox and i'm pregnant

What is chickenpox?

Chickenpox (varicella) is a very contagious disease. It happens most often in childhood. By adulthood, most people in the U.S.

have had chickenpox or had the vaccine in childhood. More than 9n in 10 pregnant women are immune to chickenpox.

Chicken pox during pregnancy first trimester

But about 1 in 2,000 pregnant women in the U.S. will get chickenpox during pregnancy because they are not immune. Pregnant women who get chickenpox are at risk for serious health problems. 

The disease is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

This is a form of the herpes virus. It can be spread from person to person by contact with an infected person's rash.

Is chickenpox dangerous in pregnancy if you've already had it

And it can spread through the air by a cough or sneeze. Chickenpox is contagious 1 to 2 days before the rash shows up until the blisters have dried and become scabs. Once a person is exposed to the virus, chickenpox may take up to 14 to 16 days to show up.

Risks of chickenpox in pregnancy

When a woman has chickenpox in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, there is a 1 in 50 chance for the baby to develop a set of birth defe

is chickenpox bad when pregnant

is chicken pox dangerous for pregnant