Congenital Chickenpox: What Are They And What Are The Risks?

You can get chickenpox at any time in life, but it is usually associated with childhood. In fact, one can even be born with it, and then it is called congenital chickenpox. We will go through how it affects the baby and what the pregnant woman can do to prevent it.

Chickenpox is an infectious disease with a large endemic capacity. Fortunately, the infection does not occur as often during pregnancy, but it can cause serious problems if it occurs during this sensitive period.

If the pregnant woman is infected with chickenpox, the baby in the mother’s womb can be affected by what is called congenital chickenpox.

Congenital chickenpox can cause serious problems for the fetus. In addition to affecting the skin, it can lead to abnormalities in the eyes, damage to the central nervous system and even fetal death.

According to experts, at least 10 percent of women of childbearing age are at risk of getting chickenpox. In addition, doctors have found that most pregnant women do not have enough antibodies to fight the virus.

How do chickenpox affect the fetus?

When the mother gets chickenpox during pregnancy, it can seriously affect the fetus. Doctors have noted that the longer you have been pregnant, the greater the likelihood of harm to the fetus.

Experts believe that if the mother gets chickenpox while she is giving birth, the baby will be born without the ability to fight the virus.

As I said, the mother does not have enough antibodies to fight the virus, so then her newborn baby will not have it either.

The virus is just as dangerous during the first trimester of pregnancy. Then the baby is being formed, so the virus can harm the fetus in several different ways.

The following problems are associated with congenital chickenpox:

• Skin damage
• Eye failure
• Weakening of the central nervous system
• Reduced growth
• Microcephaly
• Liver damage
• Kidney problems
• Blindness
• Fetal death

Diagnosis of congenital chickenpox

In addition to taking precautions before and during pregnancy in connection with chickenpox, experts recommend that the pregnant woman perform regular check-ups during pregnancy. It is easy to identify the problem at each prenatal checkup.

If a doctor discovers that the pregnant woman has the virus, he or she should perform in-depth tests to check the condition of the fetus.

They use several types of tests to check the baby’s condition when chickenpox is diagnosed in the mother. Here are some of the most common:

• One thing you can control is hypoplasia in the limbs of the fetus. The condition means that the development of the organs or other parts of the child’s body can be disturbed or affected in other ways. Doctors use a routine or specialized ultrasound to check it.
• Another way to diagnose it is by analyzing the amniotic fluid or fetal blood by doing a virus culture or polymerase chain reaction.
• It can also be observed in a blood sample taken from the umbilical cord.

Recommendations for the pregnant woman

All women who are planning a pregnancy should make sure that she is vaccinated against chickenpox. If she has not been immunized, it is advisable to get vaccinated at least six months before conception.

In the event that this is not possible, for example due to an unexpected pregnancy, it is advisable to take extreme precautions.

It can be very dangerous for the pregnant woman to be exposed to the virus. Avoid contact with potential sources of infection, such as hospitals or places with poor ventilation.

The pregnant woman must not come into contact with the skin or saliva of a person infected with chickenpox. As a rule, doctors recommend that the pregnant woman should avoid all contact with sick people.