Susceptible pregnant women with chickenpox exposure are uncommon but are medical emergency conditions. Chickenpox infection in the first trimester is associated with the congenital varicella syndrome and in the third trimester is associated with fatal complications and the neonatal varicella syndrome. In this article, two cases and the management of chickenpox during pregnancy are discussed.
ByrneB.M.P., CrowleyP.A., CarringtonD.Chickenpox in pregnancy. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Green-top Guideline No.13. [September 2007]. [cited 2008 Dec 3]. Available from: http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=514.
2.
SmegoR.A.Jr, AsperilleM.O.Use of acyclovir for varicella pneumonia during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol1991; 78(6): 1112–6.
3.
SauerbreiA., WutzlerP.Herpes simplex and varicella-zoster virus infections during pregnancy: current concepts of prevention, diagnosis and therapy. Part 2: Varicella-zoster virus infections. Med Microbiol Immunol2007; 196(2): 95–102.
4.
GroseC.Varicella infection during pregnancy. Herpes1999; 6: 33–7.
5.
HigaK., DanK., ManabeH.Varicella-zoster virus infections during pregnancy: hypothesis concerning the mechanisms of congenital malformations. Obstet Gynecol1987; 69(2): 214–22.
6.
PastuszakA.L., LevyM., SchickB., ZuberC., FeldkampM., GladstoneJ.Outcome after maternal varicella infection in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. N Engl J Med1994; 330(13): 901–5.
7.
TanM.P., KorenG.Chickenpox in pregnancy: revisited. Reprod toxicol2006; 21(4): 410–20.
MillerE., Cradock-WatsonJ.E., RidehalghM.K.Outcome in newborn babies given anti-varicella zoster immunoglobulin after perinatal maternal infection with varicella-zoster virus. Lancet1989; 2(8659): 371–3.
10.
EndersG., MillerE., Cradock-WatsonsJ., BolleyI., RidehalghM.Consequences of varicella and herpes zoster in pregnancy: prospective study of 1739 cases. Lancet1994; 343(8912): 1548–51.
11.
Task force on Infection Control.Fact sheet on chickenpox.Hong Kong: Hospital Authority; Mar 2008.
12.
NathwaniD., MacleanA., ConwayS., CarringtonD.Varicella infections in pregnancy and the newborn. A review prepared for the UK Advisory Group on Chickenpox on behalf of the British Society for the Study of Infection. J Infect1998; 36(Suppl 1): 59–71.
13.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevention of varicella: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization (ACIP). MMWR1996; 45(RR-11): 1–36.