Is Herpes Zoster Dangerous for Pregnant Women?

Herpes zoster is a secondary condition that occurs as a result of infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox during acute infection. It is rare that shingles occurs during pregnancy and the risk to an unborn child if this occurs is thought to be minimal.

Identification

• Shingles occurs mostly in people who are past childbearing age and pregnant women are not commonly affected. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), it's not likely to complicate pregnancy.

Effects

• A woman who contracts VZV for the first time during pregnancy may experience serious complications, including birth defects if contracted during the first 30 weeks of pregnancy. Her child may become infected if VZV is contracted shortly before birth, according to the NINDS, and this infection may be fatal.

Complications

• A woman who contracts VZV very near the time of birth may pass the infection onto her child. In this case, the condition may be fatal because she has not had time to pass antibodies to the condition onto her child, according to the NINDS.

Prevention

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant women avoid contact with people who have active shingles rash. However, it is not possible to contract VZV if you have already had shingles.

Considerations

• The CDC reports that it is recommended that women who are pregnant should not be vaccinated against shingles, and should wait until after their pregnancy to do so.