Treatment for Pregnant Patients of Chickenpox
Pregnant women who have not had
chickenpox and are exposed to chickenpox, as well as pregnant women who develop chickenpox symptoms, should contact their doctor immediately.
Treatment for chickenpox during pregnancy depends on:
- The presence of chickenpox symptoms
- The severity of symptoms
- The trimester of pregnancy.
Because pregnant women cannot receive the
chickenpox vaccine, varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG) may be recommended for treatment. VZIG can prevent or reduce chickenpox symptoms after exposure. VZIG should be administered as soon as possible, but no later than 96 hours after exposure to chickenpox.
The safety of chickenpox treatment with
acyclovir among pregnant women has not been established. Although studies involving animals have not shown acyclovir to cause birth defects, adequate, well controlled studies among pregnant women have not been conducted. For a pregnant women who develops a serious chickenpox complication, acyclovir may be considered.
The Chickenpox Vaccine During Pregnancy
Women who are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant should not receive the chickenpox vaccine. If you discovered that you were pregnant when you received the chickenpox vaccine, or if you get pregnant within 1 month after getting the vaccine, contact your doctor.
Other Children During Chickenpox and Pregnancy
Children living in a household with a susceptible pregnant woman should be vaccinated. Vaccinating close contacts of a susceptible pregnant woman is the most effective way to protect her from chickenpox. Although there is a small risk that a vaccinated person could get a vaccine rash and spread the vaccine strain virus to the pregnant woman, this risk is much smaller than the risk that she could contract "natural" varicella.
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