Varicella

If your varicella result came back indeterminate or non-reactive

Why did my varicella result come back indeterminate or non-reactive?

Immunity can decrease over time and may even fall below the detection level of standard screening tests.

Where do I get the varicella vaccination?

Our recommendation is that you get vaccinated or revaccinated with your family physician.

After the vaccination, how long should I wait to try to conceive?

The recommended length of time a woman should wait after receiving the rubella (or MMR) vaccine is 4 weeks.

Once you have received your vaccination, please tell your Primary Care Team, as we need to ensure that you do not start treatment before the 4-week wait is completed.

What are the risks of varicella in pregnant women?

Susceptible pregnant women are at risk for associated complications when they contract varicella. Varicella causes severe maternal morbidity, and 10–20% of infected women develop varicella pneumonia, with mortality reported as high as 40%.

Newborns whose mothers develop a varicella rash from 5 days before to 2 days after delivery are at risk for neonatal varicella, associated with mortality as high as 30%. Furthermore, intrauterine infection may result in stillbirth, herpes zoster during infancy or early childhood, or congenital varicella syndrome.