How do GPs manage a pregnant woman who is not immunised against varicella and rubella?
How do GPs manage a pregnant woman who is not immunised against varicella and rubella?
“If the womys is pregnant but doesn’t have protection you are obviously not going to administer the vaccine,” said Dr Nigel Crawford, a paediatrician and the medical head of immunisation services at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
“You would need to tell the woman if she did get exposed you would need to be considering getting immunoglobulin, particularly both for measles exposure and varicella exposure, which can be administered ideally within 24 but out to 72 hours.”
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Women should have their rubella and varicella levels checked prior to pregnancy because the disease can be severe if they do become infected for the first time during pregnancy, he says.
“It really important to measure their serological response and then give them a booster, particularly if they are planning to get pregnant,” says Dr Crawford.
Women must wait a minimum of a month after immunisation before getting pregnant.
