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. 2021 Mar:258:283-287.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.01.009. Epub 2021 Jan 12.

Varicella Zoster in pregnancy

Meenu Priyadarshini Nanthakumar  1 , Akanksha Sood  2 , Maimoona Ahmed  3 , Janesh Gupta  4
Affiliations

Varicella Zoster in pregnancy

Meenu Priyadarshini Nanthakumar et al. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Chickenpox during pregnancy can cause serious complications for both mother and fetus. This includes varicella pneumonia in the mother, fetal varicella syndrome and varicella of newborn. Primary prevention includes vaccination against varicella infection and is part of standard childhood immunisation programme in many countries. Timely post-exposure prophylaxis of susceptible pregnant women with varicella zoster immunoglobulin is key to preventing chickenpox during pregnancy and its adverse fetomaternal sequelae. Antiviral therapy and appropriate supportive treatment improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Keywords: Acyclovir; Chickenpox; Fetal varicella syndrome; Vaccine; Varicella; Varicella immunoglobulin; Varicella of newborn.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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