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I had a routine doctor's appointment today, and the topic of chickenpox came up yet again. I have never had chickenpox. My mom thought I might have had it as a child, a mild case, but blood tests in recent years have confirmed that was not the case.

Now there is a vaccine, but in some cases 1 - 2% people develop a mild form of chickenpox. It is then also possible to develop shingles later in life, which I currently do not have to worry about.

I guess the big concern is if I have kids and somehow get chickenpox while pregnant, it can be a concern. But I am not sure if I will have kids, and also wonder what the likelihood is of coming in contact with it when pregnant, seeing as I have avoided it so far in 33.5 years. And most kids are vaccinated against it these days (although it is still an optional vaccine).

Any thoughts from anyone on pros or cons of it?

Chickenpox sucks!

That is all....

sunflower wrote:I had a routine doctor's appointment today, and the topic of chickenpox came up yet again. I have never had chickenpox. My mom thought I might have had it as a child, a mild case, but blood tests in recent years have confirmed that was not the case.

Now there is a vaccine, but in some cases 1 - 2% people develop a mild form of chickenpox. It is then also possible to develop shingles later in life, which I currently do not have to worry about.

I guess the big concern is if I have kids and somehow get chickenpox while pregnant, it can be a concern. But I am not sure if I will have kids, and also wonder what the likelihood is of coming in contact with it when pregnant, seeing as I have avoided it so far in 33.5 years. And most kids are vaccinated against it these days (although it is still an optional vaccine).

Any thoughts from anyone on pros or cons of it?

Just a random thought or two - if you don't get vaccinated and manage to get chicken pox, you still have the chance of having shingles later in life. It's a matter of how much risk you want to take. There's the 1-2% chance of developing "a mild form" from the vaccine and an unknown chance of being exposed and contracting it.

I think fewer and fewer kids in recent years are being vaccinated, as more parents balk at the number of vaccinations being recommended by medical experts. Depending on where you live, there might be a large number of kids who have not been vaccinated. (In a few areas of Oregon, according to a news story that I saw on cable, it is more likely that a child has not been vaccinated, in general, than vaccinated.) There would be a risk of being exposed when pregnant if another pregnant mom brought her unvaccinated kids to an appointment.

IIRC, chickenpox is much worse as an adult than as a child.

In the end, it is your call. You should do what you think is best.

My vote is, get the vaccine. From what I've heard and read, getting the disease as an adult leaves you prone to more serious complications, including high fever, bacterial infections, hepatitis, encephalitis, pneumonia, and severe discomfort. I know that in the last few years, we've heard about more and more cases of it going around in my kids' schools. Being exposed to a child in a store or restaurant before they're symptomatic is always a possibilty. Also, if you do perhaps have an unplanned pregnacy it's one less thing to worry about.

For some reason, I thought the vaccine was only offered to kids for some reason...?

My dad and brother have never had chicken pox. When I had it as a kid, dad moved in with his brother until I was no longer contagious. I have heard that it can be pretty yucky if gotten as an adult.

We will most likely opt out of the chicken pox vaccine for Nina and the up and coming little one....and will probably consider inviting ourselves to a chicken pox party at some point when they are older. The risk of serious complications from it are very low in young healthy kids, and the vaccine does not guarantee immunity anyway..

I've only know one adult who got chicken pox. It was horrible. Almost had to go to the hospital.

I guess our ancestors (2-3 generations back) knew this as they would intentionally expose their kids when young just so they'd get it out of the way.

I would get the vaccine.

Me? I had the pox in January 1966. 6 inches of snow on the ground in Austin. My mom let me go out for 10 minutes to play in it.

In case anyone did not know, it is recommended that children and adults without immunity receive two vaccination shots for chickenpox.

Prior to this being the recommendation, my kids already received two shots (one in Korea, and one in the USA).

My 26 year old son has never had chickenpox either. The vaccine came out when he was about 10 I think.

He had to have two rounds of it as well. Everyone I know who contracted it as an adult has had some kind of complication and/or a very severe case.

I would probably get the vaccine - just my humble opinion.

Yeah I think you guys are right, the vaccine is probably the way to go. It's a 2 series shot, they told me that, it was either 4 - 6 weeks later or 6 - 8 weeks later on the 2nd dose. The papers are all in my car.

I switched schools when I was younger, and the theory is I missed it in both (left one before it hit, got to the other after it hit) and I was an only child, so no one else brought it home. I don't remember a single friend of mine ever having it. How weird is that?? Just a timing thing, I guess.

The just in case of accidental pregnancy is the best argument, one of the groups recommended to get it is non-pregnant women in their child bearing years. Just because I don't plan on it doesn't mean it's never going to happen, and I'd hate myself if I didn't get vaccinated and something went wrong.

Appa23 wrote:
IIRC, chickenpox is much worse as an adult than as a child.

Yes it is. I had chicken pox when I was 16.... it was horrible. Even though 16 really isn't "adult"....

My nephew got chickenpox when he was nine and suffered worse than his father did at five, but not too horribly bad.

My cousin got it when he was 16, and the complications nearly killed him. His mom finally slapped him in the hospital when she realized how serious it was.

Everybody's different. If I were you, I'd get the vaccine.

Reading this thread suddenly makes me glad I got it when I was only 8......

lb13