I have chickenpox and am pregnant :-(

[Zoodle]

Hello
I am 15 weeks pregnant and have had chickenpox for the 1st time for the last 10 days. I got admitted to hospital last week as I wasn't responding to the meds they gave me and they were worried about viral meningitis... Thankfully I am on the mend now but desperately worried about my poor baby.

I am wondering of there is anyone out there who has been through the same thing? All the doctors I have seen have said this is the first time in xxx years of practicing they have seen a woman with chickenpox etc which is really unhelpful.

They keep telling me there is a 1 in 50 chance that baby has contracted the virus and could have all sorts of horrible abnormalities from it and I feel like this is a really high chance. I am trying to stay positive but it's so hard

I don't understand very well the tests etc they will do and they just keep saying wait until 20 week scan when we will know more but I would really like to chat to a consultant earlier than that which I don't think is unreasonable?!

Anyway am hoping there might be someone out there who has been through this an might be able to offer some advice/support etc...

Thank you xxx

 

[claire23]

Hi sorry I don't have any advice but didn't want to read and not reply. I'm so glad your on the mend and fingers crossed your baby is one of the 49 in 50 that are fine, it's not unreasonable wanting to see a consultant before 20 weeks, I would really push to see one to help put your mind at rest, will they not give you a reassurance scan? Xxx

 

[Zoodle]

Thank you was a really tough day today, have felt very sad etc but your are right, it's more than likely that our baby will be one of the 49 and that's what I have to focus on

They can't do an earlier scan as they need to wait and measure how the baby grows and it has to be 5 weeks from my infection, so it's just going to be a long old wait and keep praying for the best I guess...

Xxx

 

[Froslass]

Hi Lovely,

My mum had chicken pox whilst she was pregnant with me.

I was fine, and i have never had chickenpox!

Doctors will always give you the worst case scenario, im sure everything will be ok hun xx

 

[munchkin1982]

Sorry to hear this hun and hope you feel better soon. if its any help... My midwife told me if i was going to get c pox the now (2nd tri) is the time to get it for there to be no/little risk to baby. its at the start of pregnancy and the very end of pregnancy that they worry about. not sure if that helps at all? xx

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[Florajoy]

Hi! I had chickenpox when pregnant! I got it at 18 weeks! My hospital was rubbish and my midwife had to fight for me to even get an extra scan! I was told that if they are honest they don't know what chicken pox can do but it's very unlikely to have caused any problems, I was actually told that not even 1% of babies are affected by it! Anyway I gave birth just over 7 weeks ago with various other complications in my pregnancy including babys heart skipping a beat etc and I now have a perfectly healthy beautiful little boy!! Please don't let it ruin your pregnancy as there are people out there like myself that spent the whole pregnancy worrying for no reason! Oh btw I didn't get an extra growth scan till 27 weeks when I got scanned by a fetal growth specialist! Xxx

 

[Florajoy]

Oh also it took my doctor 5 days after the spots came out to even give me any medication so dont worry about meds not working straight away! Xxx

 

[Zoodle]

Oh wow thanks everyone, I've just woken up and reading your posts has made me feel much better about the whole thing today...

There is so much conflicting info out there I think that's what makes it do confusing. I guess it happens so rarely they don't really have much of a clue about it...

I literally can't think about anything else though and think I if have felt this ill then surely it must have got thru to bubs?! Florajoy, did you feel like you were at deaths door with it?! They took 4 days to give me the meds too as they try to avoid anything in pregnancy... I am more frustrated though that I wasnt immunised against it as I knew I hadn't had it and wig my daughter going to nursery seems quite likely to me. Anyway all good in hindsight!!

So they didn't offer you extra scans? They just totally scared us talking about all the possible complications and ten saying they might not be apparent until birth blah blah so am scared of being scared the whole way through.

I am so happy that you now have a beautiful baby, definitely makes me feel better to know your story

Xxxx

 

[Florajoy]

Hey! How are you getting on?! Have you managed to get any extra scans? xxx

 

[Zoodle]

Hello, we have an appointment with a consultant on weds and going to ask if we can have a scan then... The wait is killing me and I am sure the stress I am feeling can't be doing baby any good...

How is little logan getting on?! Xx

 

[Florajoy]

Hes doing brilliantly! Although hes got a bit of a cold at the moment! Good luck with your consultant appointment! My midwife was the one who made my hospital give me a scan at 27 weeks! So if they say no, talk to your midwife! I am sure everything will be fine! x

 

[BunnyN]

I read this a while back and just wanted to ask how things are going?

 

[My1stBaby]

Hiya, you wrote this a while ago now so not sure if you will get this but i caught a virus that is dangerous to baby when i was 22 weeks pregnant- the whole time i was petrified, id have break downs all the time worrying about whether my baby had been affected- i ended up having 2 amniocentesis tests as they told me the baby could be severely damaged by the virus so it might be worth knowing whats going on so we can prepare...

no one really knew much about it and it was a tough tough time, the virus was in my waters so he had to have loads of tests at birth but hes so healthy and happy and you wouldnt know anything was wrong! its a progressive thing so he may go blind or deaf and some point but they dont think this will happen as he seems so healthy at the moment.

my point is, try not to worry about what might happen or could happen- you've just gotta keep positive and stress free during your pregnancy! i know thats so hard but i wish i didnt hang onto every bad thing that coulda happened cause actually nothing the doctors said would happen has happend!!

good luck and i hope all will be well with your little one xxx

 

[Zoodle]

Thanks My1stbaby... You are so right that its better not to worry about the what if's as you'll never know but it's so hard. I feel the same, constantly anxious and tearful that something might have happened to my baby and keep imagining them telling me at one of the scans that there is something wrong. I honestly don't know how I would cope.... I know I need to try to not be stressed for the baby's sake but I can't help it all the positive stories definitely help though and I hope that he will be perfect. And if not I will love him as much anyway.

Am so glad everything worked out for you and your little one, and I am sure he will continue thrive, especially with a lovely mum!!

Xx

 

[My1stBaby]

Aw bless thankyou. Good luck I'd love to hear an update when baby is here safe and sound xxx

 

[Zoodle]

Hi everyone,

After 26 weeks of non stop worry and three extra scans at the specialist unit at kings hospital in London, I am so pleased to be able to update this post with good news!

I have birth to a beautiful baby boy Edward Samuel last Monday and he is 100% ok and totally perfect! I feel so lucky and even though the risk was 'small', it always felt huge to me so to come out the other side I feel like I have been given such a special gift with my little boy

Thanks for the support, it made a big difference
Zoe

 

[claire23]

Congratulations xx

 

[BunnyN]

So happy to read this, I would have been scared too! Thanks for the update and congratulations!!

 

[JJ Mum]

oh fantastic news , congrats to you X

 

[babyem]

Congratulations!! X

My fat fingers can't spell! x