Shingles And Pregnancy
Contents:
- Symptoms and Causes
- Herpes Zoster
- What Will Be the Consequences?
- Treating the Illness During the Period of Pregnancy
Pregnancy and Shingles
While a woman is waiting for her baby, lots of changes occur in her organism. The organs and systems start functioning in a different way, the capacity of the immune system gets lower and the organism loses its powers very quickly.
That’s why exactly during this period a future mother is quite likely to catch different illnesses. The list of the illnesses includes also skin illnesses that are usually described by one term – shingles.
Symptoms and Causes
Shingles during the course of pregnancy. Shingles during the course of pregnancy may occur for several reasons. Shingles is not just one illness. It is a number of symptoms that are connected with skin.
The symptoms of the various skin illnesses are quite similar:
- cutaneous eruption;
- peeling of the skin;
- itching;
- the pigmentation being disturbed on those areas of the skin that have already been influenced by the illness.
There are lots of reasons why shingles may occur. They are connected with a specific condition of the organism and immune system and the changing of the hormonal balance during the period. Other reasons are similar in case of adults and children.
The reasons for the occurrence of shingles in case of pregnant women:
- being in contact with a person who has a causative agent (virus or fungus);
- being inclined to allergies or allergicsymptoms;
- avitaminosis;
- a decline of strength;
- stress;
- fatigue;
- immune being decreased;
- hormonal changes;
- a loss of too much heat;
- having had a case of cold;
- chronic illnesses.
Herpes Zoster
Herpes zoster is much more dangerous for a mother and her future baby. This illness is connected with the virus of a third-type herpes. The same virus cases chickenpox that’s dangerous for the health of your baby. This kind of shingles is accompanied by pain in the area of ribs, cutaneous eruptions that are peeling and itching. If the fetus inside a mother’s womb is infected with this virus on the early stages of pregnancy, serious pathologies in its development may occur.
What Will be the Consequences?
The consequences of the shingles occurring during the course of pregnancy for a mother and her baby depend on its type, reasons and the time of the occurrence. As a rule, if the illness occurs on the late stages of pregnancy, when all systems and organs of a baby have already been formed, and a mother starts treating it on time, the illness will in no way affect the baby. Herpes zoster, especially on the early stages of pregnancy, is much more dangerous since it is caused by herpes virus.
Attention! Since practically all types of shingles are contagious, a woman that doesn’t treat it puts her future baby at risk. The baby may be infected by the illness after the labor, when a mother is breastfeeding, communicates or is in close contact with him or her.
Besides, any illness including shingles may require taking drugs that are forbidden during the course of pregnancy. Only a doctor may say if it is so in your case. He or she will also evaluate the risks for a mother and her baby. These risks are connected with the illness and its future treatment.
Treating the Illness During the Period of Pregnancy
The type and means of treating the illness are prescribed based on its type, how bad the case is and the way it goes. If future mother is irritated because the itching is very strong, if she can’t sleep normally, the doctors consider the possibility of taking antiallergic drugs.
If the shingles is caused by viruses, antiviral drugs may be prescribed. If shingles is of fungus nature, it will do if you simply apply antifungal drugs on your skin. If the shingles causes no discomfort and is not dangerous for the baby, a conversion therapy and vitamins are prescribed. The aim is to increase the capacity of the immune system.
If you want to use means of folk medicine, you’d better consult your doctor and ask him or her what means of folk medicine you can use. The thing is that not all means of folk medicine are allowed to use during the course of pregnancy.
Besides, they are not equally effective in cases of different shingles. Remember that the best cure is a good mood, fresh air, a right way of nutrition and positive emotions. These you can provide yourself with on your own. As for all the rest, you should rely on a professional that will take care of you and your baby.