Q&A: Could exposure to fifth disease affect my pregnancy?

Fifth disease, caused by parvovirus, is a childhood infection often associated with a fever and rash. Most adults had it as children and are already immune. Your immunity can be checked with a simple blood test for parvovirus immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM). If you are immune, exposure to fifth disease poses no risk to you or your baby-to-be.

Moms who are not immune to parvovirus and get exposed still may not catch the infection, but if the mom does get infected, the virus can cause serious problems, including miscarriage. There is no vaccine or post-exposure treatment, but a few blood tests done several weeks apart can help establish if infection has occurred, and ultrasound can look for complications from parvovirus including signs of severe fetal anemia (low blood count).

The best prevention from parvovirus is good hand washing at work and at home. Alcohol-based antiseptics like Purell work well, or just use good old soap and water.

Call your doctor or midwife and tell them about your exposure so they can establish if you are already immune and arrange for appropriate follow-up. Hopefully you are already immune to parvovirus, and can take this off of your "worry list."