Varicella virus which causes chicken pox is a highly contagious disease which causes itching rash. If such infection infects a pregnant lady then it could cause risk to both the mother and the infant. The risk basically depends on the timing at which the infection has occurred.

Normally women are immunized to this infection or have a history of previous chicken pox infection. The women who are immunized have the antibodies which fight infection already in them which are transferred to the infant through the placenta. So, such women do not face a risk of complications for themselves or their infant.

But, if some one who is not immune to the disease and is pregnant could get injected with ‘immune globulin’ a product that carries antibodies of chicken pox virus. When this is taken within 96hours after infection, it reduces the severity of the infection. Even some oral drugs could also reduce the severity and hence the risk of complications to both the mother and the child.

Complications Caused to Infants in Early stage of Pregnancy
There are very less chances of complications if the infection is caused in the early stages of pregnancy. Like, if the infection is caused during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy then the infant carries a slight chance of developing the abnormality called congenital varicella syndrome. The infant suffering from such disease will have a head smaller than normal, eye problems, low birth weight, small limbs and mental retardation.

Complications Caused to Infants in Late Stage of Pregnancy
In case a women is infected before 4-5 days of delivery or 2days after delivery then there is a risk that the infant born may suffer from ‘disseminated varicella infection.’ It is the condition, where the infant is infected to the disease before the maternal antibodies are transferred to his body. Such infection can be fatal too.

Measures to Cure Chicken Pox in Pregnant Women

• Anti viral called acyclovir (Zovirax) could be given to pregnant women who are suffering from chicken pox, as it is safe during the period of pregnancy.
• Those women who are not immune to varicella but are exposed to it can be treated with varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (VZIG), a substance that triggers response against the varicella virus.

Measures to Cure Chicken Pox in Infants

• Those infants whose mother have developed varicella 5days before delivery or 2 days after delivery should receive VZIG after birth.
• Those infants who capture the disease during the first two weeks of life should be treated with IV acyclovir.