Why is it important to avoid chickenpox during pregnancy?
• Chickenpox is typically an unpleasant illness when you are pregnant, even without complications. It tends to be much more severe than the illness children get. • In addition, about 1 in 10 pregnant women who have chickenpox develop inflamed lungs (pneumonia). This is sometimes serious. About 1 in 100 pregnant women who develop chickenpox-related pneumonia die of this serious infection. • Brain inflammation (encephalitis) is an uncommon but very serious complication. • Vary rarely, other serious complications develop. For example: myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), glomerulonephritis (kidney inflammation), appendicitis, hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), Henoch–Schönlein purpura (a condition that can affect the kidneys), arthritis, and inflammation of various parts of the eye.
