Fifth disease

[camsmom1105]

i recently was informed that I was exposed to fifth disease at least twice in the last two weeks. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had to deal with this while pregnant???

[cay8099]

No, I have never gone through this, but I would like to know if the rash was present on the infected person(s)? Once the rash is present they are no longer contagious, and it's spread by droplets which means the infected person had to sneeze, cough, or spit on you for you to pick it up. Chances of you contracting this virus are pretty slim, and even if you do catch it the chances of it affecting your pregnancy are slim as well

[Saphira]

I hate asking this and sounding like an idiot. But what is fifth disease? I can honestly say I've never heard of it.

[cay8099]

It is a run of mill virus that causes a rash on the fifth day after the fever starts. You may know it as slap cheek syndrome because the rash makes it look like someone has slapped you face.

[KayLady]

No - but my close friend was exposed during her pregnancy. You should see the doctor right away because if you catch it (you may not show any symptoms at all) it could cause birth defects. They will do a blood test. I don't mean to scare you, it's just that it can be very serious for the baby even if you didn't get sick.

[KayLady]

I hate asking this and sounding like an idiot. But what is fifth disease? I can honestly say I've never heard of it.

It's the fifth 'rash' disease; the others are measles, mumps, and some I can't think of. It's called fifth disease because there were four others and they didn't bother thinking up another name for this one!

[cay8099]

It's the fifth 'rash' disease; the others are measles, mumps, and some I can't think of. It's called fifth disease because there were four others and they didn't bother thinking up another name for this one!

Your right on that one; I remembered wrong, sorry, but no studies they have done show that this causes birth defects. It does, in a small percentage of pregnancies, cause fetal death if the virus is passed on the the baby; so yes it is serious and the OP should see her doctor.

[KayLady]

Thanks, I remembered wrong too, it was fetal death and not birth defects. Plus I got my info. from another person, who was freaking out at the time. Still serious, but statistically a low chance of problems.