[Chickenpox in pregnancy with serious consequences for both mother and child]

A 41-year-old woman with chickenpox in the third trimester of her pregnancy was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of our hospital for ventilatory support. She was treated with aciclovir, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and erythromycin. Her baby was delivered by forceps following placental abruption. After delivery, both mother and child recovered slowly but could eventually leave the hospital in good condition. If a pregnant woman without a prior history of varicella-zoster infection is exposed to a child that has chickenpox, passive immunisation with varicella-zoster immunoglobulin should be administered. This reduces the risk of maternal complications and may prevent a fetal varicella syndrome. If the mother has already developed chickenpox and there are serious complications, she should be treated with intravenous aciclovir. If possible, delivery should be delayed until 5 days after the onset of maternal chickenpox.