Toronto pregnant women face a risk chicken pox

Toronto Public Health (TPH) is advising women who attended a prenatal nutrition class on Tuesday this week that they have been exposed to chicken pox. The majority of Canadian adults are immune to chicken pox; however the illness poses more serious risk of complications to pregnant women, and can cause severe complications to the fetus.

TPH is attempting to reach women who attended the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) class at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday May 25 at York Community Services, located at 1651 Keele Street.

TPH is asking women who attended this class and have not had chicken pox, or are unsure whether they have had chicken pox, to contact their obstetrician or prenatal health care provider immediately to discuss preventive treatment. It is recommended that all pregnant women whose immune status is not known receive Varicella-zoster immune globulin (VariZIG(TM)) within 96 hours of exposure. This treatment should be given as soon as possible, and may be effective as late as Saturday May 29 at 1:30 p.m.

Any woman who attended the class and has not been contacted by TPH, is asked to call 416-338-7600 during the day Friday, or 416-690-2142 after hours, and on the weekend.