Fifth Disease During Pregnancy: Risks & Concerns for Expectant Mothers

Question
Hi
I am a kindergarten teacher, and there have been a few cases in the past week of Fifths Disease. I am in my 10th week of pregnancy and am totally paranoid of getting it. I went to the dr. last wed, and they tested me for it. It came out negative that I had it, but it also came out that I don't have an immunity to it. I am just really nervous that something is wrong. Should I be worried? What are the chances of me getting this? What's the chances of it affecting my fetus? If I am around something with Fifth's disease but don't catch the virus, can it still harm my fetus? I am so terrified! Thanks for any help you can give me!

Jennifer

Answer
You can only have problems if you actually catch the disease. If you are merely exposed to Fifth's disease, it will do nothing to the fetus. However, if you are infected by the Parvovirus, and do contract Fifth's disease, the virus can cause edema (hydrops fatalis) in the baby and that is not good at all. If you can, avoid any child that has evidence of Fifth's disease ("slapped cheek appearance", etc) or stop working in that age group until after you deliver. If you do not have the disease, the fetus will not have the disease either.