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If a woman had chickenpox before she became pregnant, she should not get sick again, but there is no guarantee that she will not be infected with the smallpox virus, which can also cause a disease called herpes zoster. Fewer and fewer cases of the disease are diagnosed, but unfortunately those already detected carry a high risk of complications in the development of the fetus, as well as perinatal complications.
If a smallpox virus is infected during childhood, it does not disappear from the body but remains dormant in it. The smallpox virus is most often found in nerve cells. In most cases, the virus is controlled by the entire immune system, but when it is weakened, for example, by prolonged stress, the use of immunosuppressive drugs may unfortunately resume viral activity. What symptoms can shingles cause when pregnant?
Shingles in pregnancy – symptoms
Symptoms of the disease at an early stage are very characteristic, so they can be detected and treated quickly. In pregnancy, shingles begin with a burning, stabbing pain that may become active in the face or elsewhere, very often in the back. Other symptoms of shingles in pregnancy include high fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and there may also be a problem urinating. After the first symptoms in the area where there is burning and pain, there is a rash in the form of red spots which later fill with fluid, then crust over and fall off after about 10 days.
See also: What Happens at 31 Weeks of Pregnancy?
Pregnant shingles, unfortunately, does not end when the scabs fall off, because even then the area is red and hypersensitive to touch, for example. Some patients may develop the so-called post-herpetic neuralgia, which is neuralgia that lasts up to 4 months after the onset of symptoms. Shingles is quite easy to diagnose, it does not require additional diagnostic tests, but shingles in pregnancy poses a risk to the health and proper development of the fetus, so your doctor should order blood tests during treatment.
Shingles in pregnancy – effects on the development of the fetus
In most cases, shingles in pregnancy that results from primary VZV infection can cause abnormalities in the development of the fetus. How can shingles in pregnancy affect your baby? First of all, it can lead to abnormal limb development, in some cases the optic nerve is damaged, and there may also be abnormalities in the urinary system.
According to gynecologists, shingles during pregnancy poses the greatest risk in the first trimester, when practically all internal organs develop and develop. Occasionally, shingles during pregnancy may result in your newborn being infected with the virus. Symptoms can then appear in both the baby and the mother. If an infection occurs several days before or several days after delivery, the disease may be acute, therefore the newborn must be under increased medical supervision during this period. All ailments related to the disease may persist for a newborn for several days. Unfortunately, the statistics also report fatal cases.
Can the disease be prevented before a planned pregnancy? Doctors suggest vaccination against smallpox. In most cases it is justified and effective, but there are cases despite vaccination, but then the course of the disease is less severe.