Will Exposure to Fifth Disease During Pregnancy Cause a Miscarriage?
Will Exposure to Fifth Disease During Pregnancy Cause a Miscarriage?Answer: Officially known as parvovirus B19, fifth disease is a viral infection that causes a characteristic “slapped cheek” rash and a lacy red rash on the trunk and sometimes the limbs. Individuals who are affected may experience fever and tiredness before the onset of the rash or may have no symptoms until the rash appears. Note that parvovirus B19 is not the same parvovirus that afflicts household dogs. Fifth disease is common in children and rarely causes serious complications in childhood. Adults who contract parvovirus B19 may have joint pain and swelling, but this usually goes away without medical treatment. The concern about fifth disease is that exposure to parvovirus B19 during pregnancy has been documented to cause complications for some women, including a c