All that a pregnant mother should know about chickenpox

What chickenpox really is and the health problems it can bring

Chickenpox is a viral infection that is brought about by the varicella zoster virus. Death can be resultant with primary infection to the mother. It could also bring about a congenital varicella syndrome or the varicella infection if the baby gets affected.

The recurrence of the virus brings about the development of shingles during pregnancy. This does not however have serious health consequences to the unborn baby but should be dealt with in good time.

The infection of chickenpox can be transferred from the mother to the developing fetus through the placenta. It could lead to the underdevelopment of fingers and toes. The development of the bladder and the brain could also get affected.

The chickenpox rashes occur in turns and affect individuals differently. The disappearance of the first batch of rashes could just be the onset of more rashes being developed in the body. For some people, they could appear in just a few areas of the body while in others they get spread all over the body.

The spots are mostly on the chest and on the face but could always extend to the entire body. In some cases they even spread to the ears and the mouth. The rashes can be itchy in some people and be associated with high fevers, headaches coughs and flue.

It can be spread when one laughs, sneezes, talks and even coughs releasing the virus into the air. The virus is released into the air through the saliva droplets. If an un-infected person inhales this it is easier for them to contract the infection.

Symptoms associated with having chickenpox

A person with chickenpox would develop conditions of mild fever, cough, sneezing, and flue. Some patients also complain of stomachaches.

Symptoms vary from person to person depending on the strength of their immune system. Those who had been infected early in life also have mild symptoms as compared to those experienced by primarily infected persons.

Red spotted or pink colored rashes are also common with chickenpox infection. They develop a crust and could get resolved after about 12 days. They could form fluid filled blisters as infection advances.

Causative factors and risk that is associated with chickenpox

The main way through which chickenpox is spread is by getting into contact with an infected person. Chickenpox is very contagious and inhaling of the viral droplets from an infected person is very dangerous.

It takes about ten to twenty days to incubate after which the infection becomes full blown. At this time, the infected person becomes highly infectious within 48 hours. The associated rash then starts to develop after this.

The infectious period of the virus basically lasts about five days. It is however important to keep distance from getting into contact with infected persons until the last blister disappears. This is because the crusted spots produce a lot of the chickenpox virus which ooze out from them.

When pregnant women are tested, there is an evidence of varicella zoster virus which causes chickenpox. This is evident in over 90% of the tested pregnant women. It is therefore evident that they must have had the infection in childhood and have subsequently developed a resistance to new chickenpox infection.

This does not work for everybody though. It is possible for the resistance to die off in some people and that gives room for getting infected at later times in life. Re-infection is mild and does not affect a pregnant mother like one who had never been infected could get serious health issues.

As much as fatal cases associated with chickenpox are not so common, it is important to note that it still is a very dangerous health problem in adults than it is in children. Out of every 1000 women who are pregnant, about three risk getting infection from the chickenpox causing virus. This means that chances of their getting pneumonia gets highly increased.

Congenital varicella syndrome is mostly associated with chickenpox infection contracted at early stages of pregnancy. The congenital varicella syndrome is associated with eye problems, brain damage and underdeveloped limbs. It is a risk which gets serious to about two per cent of all the pregnant women who get the chickenpox infection.

In the later stages of pregnancy, chickenpox infection of the pregnant mother does not bring about congenital varicells. It in turn gets the baby infected with chickenpox while in the womb. If the mother gets infected with chickenpox a few weeks to delivery, the condition is more serious and the baby gets to be at higher chances of contracting the chickenpox virus. The chickenpox symptoms show immediately after birth and may come with very vital health problems to the baby.

Treatment and management recovery from chickenpox

An immediate medical checkup with the doctor is necessary whenever one suspects having contracted chickenpox. A series of blood tests can be carried out to discern the availability or absence of chickenpox antibodies in the body. The absence makes the victim to be injected with immunoglobulin that offers protection from any impending varicella infection. This is necessary within 96 hours after getting into contact with the chickenpox causing virus.

It is highly discouraged to scratch chickenpox blisters. This could tear them and expose the wound to further infection. They could also get scarred once the blisters heal. Keep your nails

short so that should the itchy need be unavoidable the nails do not cut the skin.

It is important to stay cool and avoid getting over heated. Heat would cause one to sweat and increase the itchiness of the blisters. The body can be covered with a wet wash cloth to help in cooling the body.

Luke warm bath and showers are also helpful in the management of chickenpox. Oatmeal can be added into the bath to help relieve the itchy skin.

Calamine lotion also is good and can help in the soothing of the chickenpox itchy condition. Other creams that reduce skin itching can be used to bring relief.

It is also very important to isolate from uninfected people so as not to spread the chickenpox virus as it is very contagious. If one is un-infected, it is also proper to keep off from contact with infected persons so as not to put both your life and that of the baby in danger.

Staying hydrated will also keep headaches low and so it is advisable to drink lots of fluids. Water can be drunk in plenty. About 8 medium glasses are advisable though this can be topped up by drinking of healthy fruit and vegetable juices.

Painkillers like acetaminophen can be used to relieve fever and bring down the itchiness of chickenpox. Any medication should however be discussed with the doctor before use commences.

In cases when the baby and the mother have already got the virus and developed chickenpox, treatment with antiviral drugs could be administered to manage the condition. The symptoms which come as a result of the infection can be controlled by the use of acyclovir. Chickenpox vaccine is also a good way of making sure that the dangers of chickenpox do not pose health risks to any individual. It is however not advisable to be administered with the vaccine when a mother is already pregnant because of the fatality it would put the baby’s life in danger.

The antiviral drugs that are given to those infected with the chickenpox virus is not intended to kill the virus, it is however a way of having the viral multiplication controlled so as to reduce its effects in the body.