Shingles in pregnancy

• shingles in a pregnant mother does not carry a risk of her own fetus developing fetal varicella syndrome. This is because the fetus passively acquires, and is protected by, the mother's antivaricella antibodies produced in response to her initial chickenpox infection

Notes:

• transmission of varicella zoster virus from an individual with shingles may occur; therefore non-immune pregnant women are at risk of developing chickenpox if they come into contact with a pregnant woman with shingles

Reference:

1. Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2005; 43(9):69-72.