Implications of varicella

Maternal implications

Varicella infection in adults is associated with increased morbidity, including pneumonia, hepatitis and encephalitis and occasionally, mortality.

Between 1985 and 2002 there were nine indirect maternal deaths and one late maternal death reported in the UK as complications of maternal varicella pneumonia, suggesting a case fatality rate of less than 1% but a rate five times higher in pregnancy than in the non-pregnant adult.

Fetal risks of varicella infection

Spontaneous miscarriage does not appear to be increased if chickenpox occurs in the first trimester.

FVS is characterised by one or more of the following:

• skin scarring in a dermatomal distribution
• eye defects (microphthalmia, chorioretinitis, cataracts)
• hypoplasia of the limbs
• neurological abnormalities (microcephaly, cortical atrophy, mental restriction and dysfunction of bowel and bladder sphincters).