Just want to know is it SAFE to be around children when pregnant if they have chickenpocks???
I've looked into this on the net and basically majority say that it is ok if you have had it yourself previously.

Any thoughts

C xxx

It is alright if you've had it before.

If you have had it at least once, your baby will be fine. They can get anything contagious unless you get it.

i agree, think its ok as long as youve had it before

Cool thanks for all you help!

I think that goes for pretty much every common childhood disease. If you've had it before, you're probably okay.

Yeah it's fine. i work in a hospital and a patient has the shingles. i asked the ward doctor about it and he said it's fine if I've had chickenpox before. After you've had it once you become immune to the disease (a bit like when you get immunisation injections for things like menigitis C etc they put a tiny bit of the disease in your body so you create antibodies)

Chickenpox can be more severe if you catch it while pregnant, and you are more likely to develop dangerous complications, such as pneumonia. This is why it is very important to tell your doctor if you develop any breathing problems or other new symptoms while you have chickenpox.

Your doctor may offer you aciclovir, an anti-viral treatment which reduces the severity and duration of chickenpox, but only if it is given within 24 hours of you developing a rash.

If you are less than 20 weeks pregnant, doctors probably won't recommend it because of the theoretical risk of the drug affecting your baby.

Catching chickenpox during pregnancy does not increase your risk of miscarriage in the first trimester, but there are other potential problems if the virus affects your baby during pregnancy or as a newborn. Problems include birth defects such as scars, eye problems and shortened limbs. Neurological problems mean your baby may also have bladder and bowel problems and be slow to reach his developmental milestones.