Chickenpox during pregnancy: treatment, risks and prevention

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Many women during pregnancy are afraid to catch the virus. And their fears are fully justified. After all, the illness of the expectant mother can adversely affect the he alth of the fetus. Chickenpox during pregnancy is an insidious disease. In the article, we will consider the symptoms of the disease, find out the methods of diagnosis and treatment, and talk about prevention and vaccination measures.

A few words about chickenpox

Chickenpox, or chicken pox as it is commonly called by the people, occurs predominantly in childhood. But if the immune system is weakened, an adult can also become infected with it.

Chickenpox is a viral disease that is provoked by herpes, which belongs to the third type. You can get infected with an ailment by airborne droplets, with close contact with the patient. The virus enters the mucous membranes, gradually penetrating into the blood.

It is also possible to catch the disease by shaking hands or body contact with an infected person who has already developed papules on the body. The liquid from them, getting on the skin, penetrate through the pores into the blood.

Chickenpox during pregnancy is quite rare (1 case per 1000 people). Every woman needs to remember that the virus can seriously harm the fetus and even lead to miscarriage. To avoid irreversible consequences, at the first symptoms of the disease, you should consult a doctor for qualified help, and not self-medicate.

How to understand that a pregnant woman has contracted chickenpox

The insidiousness of chickenpox is that the incubation period of this disease is from 10 to 21 days. In this case, a person becomes infectious 1-2 days before the first papules appear on the body.

Previously, it was believed that chickenpox can get sick once in a lifetime. But modern medicine rejects this theory. Often at a therapist's appointment, you can hear that a woman has chickenpox for the second time during pregnancy. Why is this happening?

This is explained quite simply: immediately after conception, the body gives all its strength to the development of the fetus, the woman's immunity weakens, so viruses easily "cling".

How to understand that a pregnant woman has chickenpox? Symptoms are as follows:

• Increase in body temperature to 38-39 degrees.
• Weakness, intoxication, dizziness.
• The appearance on the body of small pink spots that resemble mosquito bites. But after a couple of hours, the papules swell up, become much larger, change color, and liquid forms in them. As a rule, rashes appear in the head and on the back, gradually spreading throughout the body.
• After 3 days, the bubbles become smaller, covered with a small crust. It cannot be removed by yourself, otherwise a scar will remain on the body.

On average, chickenpox in pregnant women can last from 4 to 8 days. It all depends on the woman's immunity. For 2-3 days, papules can spread to the mucous membranes and genitals. In this case, the doctor may recommend hospital treatment.

The consequences of chickenpox during pregnancy can be detrimental to mother and fetus. The problem lies in the fact that almost all drugs are prohibited during this period.

Complications during chickenpox

Many cases of chickenpox during pregnancy for women go away with complications. In this case, the rash has the following forms:

1. Hemorrhagic. Papules, in addition to a clear liquid, are filled with ichor. In addition, there are nosebleeds, bruising on the skin, and varicose veins.
2. Gangrenous. In addition to papules, extensive growths appear on the skin that resemble gangrene. After the scabs fall off, the wounds begin to bleed.
3. Generalized. Rashes are localized throughout the body and on the genitals. The general condition of the patient in this case worsens significantly.

In these cases, inpatient treatment of the pregnant woman is indispensable.

Diagnostic Methods

At the first suspicion of chickenpox, a pregnant woman should immediately consult a doctor. It is very important to inform the gynecologist about the symptoms in advance by phone. If athe doctor confirms the diagnosis, then the woman should not come to the general appointment so as not to infect other pregnant women.

How does a doctor diagnose an illness? There are several methods:

1. Visual examination of the patient. An experienced infectious disease doctor, looking at the papules, can easily determine the disease.
2. An analysis of chickenpox during pregnancy is prescribed only in cases where the symptoms are rather vague and there are suspicions of other infections. The patient is taking blood from a vein, the results determine the presence of the virus.

What the serological test says:

• Positive. Chickenpox in a pregnant woman proceeds in an acute form.
• Negative. The virus is either absent in the body, or there is an incubation period.
• Doubtful. It occurs quite rarely. As a rule, in this case, an error was made during blood sampling or in the laboratory. The analysis is repeated.

According to the results of the analysis, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment for the woman.

Chickenpox in the first trimester

Many women wonder if chickenpox is dangerous during pregnancy. Even some 20-30 years ago, with a similar diagnosis, doctors sent a woman for an abortion. With the development of modern medicine, with the ability to monitor the condition of the fetus using ultrasound and other procedures, experts say that the risks of an unsuccessful outcome are minimized. But still they are.

To a large extent, it all depends on the timing. In the first weeks of pregnancy, chickenpox is mostdangerous. It is at this time that the laying of the internal organs of the baby takes place. Taking medication during this period is strictly contraindicated.

What can threaten the chickenpox virus in the first trimester:

• The placenta remains thin, underdeveloped.
• The virus can get to the baby. In this case, serious deviations in the fetus are not excluded.
• Pregnancy fading.
• Intrauterine fetal death.
• Disproportionate development of the baby's body (short arms, too long legs).

Chickenpox during pregnancy in the first trimester with timely diagnosis and proper treatment in 90% of cases proceeds without complications for the mother and fetus.

It is very important to monitor the condition of the baby with the help of ultrasound even after the illness. If there are risks of developmental abnormalities, doctors may prescribe an amniocentesis procedure for the woman. In this case, the pregnant woman is given a small puncture in the abdomen to collect amniotic fluid. On their basis, one can judge the condition of the fetus.

Chickenpox in the second trimester

From week 12, the risk that the virus will get to the baby through the placenta is almost zero. During this period, doctors may prescribe medication for the woman to improve her condition.

But still, to be completely sure that everything is fine with the baby, it is necessary to periodically do ultrasound and screening.

Chickenpox in the third trimester

Risks in the last stages of bearing a baby are increasing again. Transferred chickenpox in the third trimesterpregnancy can be devastating for the baby.

If a woman becomes infected just before giving birth, doctors try to postpone the delivery process for at least a week to protect the baby. At this time, she is placed in the infectious block, and the treatment takes place under the supervision of specialists.

5-6 days will be enough for a woman to develop antibodies to chickenpox after the first rash and be transmitted to the child through the umbilical cord.

If there is no way to delay delivery, an emergency caesarean section is performed. Immunoglobulin is administered to mother and child immediately after it.

But in this case, the risks of complications are quite high. Among them:

• fetal CNS damage;
• hypoxia;
• delay in development;
• baby death.

According to statistics, such complications occur 1 in 100 cases.

Chickenpox treatment

If treatment is not started on time, the consequences of chickenpox during pregnancy for the fetus and woman can be quite serious.

Drugs should be prescribed only by a specialist, without his recommendations no means can be used.

The standard treatment for chickenpox during pregnancy is as follows:

1. Smear papules with fukartsin or brilliant green. This way they will dry out faster.
2. Take antihistamines. Assigned if the patient complains of severe itching.
3. Antivirals.

If a woman has no complications, this is the treatment for chickenpoxends.

Vaccination: pros and cons

Many doctors suggest vaccinating against chickenpox. Let's look at the periods when it is better to inject the vaccine:

1. If you don't know for sure if you had chickenpox as a child. In this case, the specialist should recommend taking an antibody test. If they are absent, be sure to vaccinate 3-4 months before the intended conception.
2. If a pregnant woman had close contact with a sick person. In this case, they put not quite a vaccine, but immunoglobulin ("Varitenta" or "Varicellon"). These funds are effective only in the first three days after contact with the carrier of the virus.

Remember, vaccination is not 100% protection against chickenpox.

Prevention measures

Chickenpox prevention during pregnancy should be as follows:

• Compulsory vaccination (3-4 months before conception).
• Try to avoid children's groups. As a rule, babies from 3 to 7 years old are susceptible to the virus.
• Exclude contact with a sick person.
• Try to visit the clinic only at the time appointed by the doctor, so as not to sit in queues. After all, the chickenpox virus is transmitted by airborne droplets.

Other preventive measures (airing the room, wet cleaning and others) are ineffective.

Chickenpox during pregnancy: reviews of women who have had the disease

Women who had an illness during pregnancy speak about the illnesspretty negative. Many people have to go to the hospital during illness, as it is impossible to cope with the virus at home.

The insidiousness of chickenpox is that symptoms resembling SARS can appear. But in the first and last trimester, most drugs are prohibited.

Therefore, even a banal runny nose and cough for pregnant women can become a big problem, not to mention a sharp increase in temperature. In this case, alternative methods of treatment can come to the rescue.

Chickenpox during pregnancy is an insidious disease. At the first symptoms of the disease, you need to seek medical help. After all, at this time you need to think not only about yourself, but also about the he alth of the unborn baby.

Chickenpox in the first trimester may be an indication for termination of pregnancy. If the virus got through the placenta to the fetus, then with a probability of 75% the baby will have serious developmental abnormalities.

To prevent such situations, doctors advise to think in advance about preventive measures, such as vaccination.