Neonatal health care providers should be informed of peripartum varicella exposure in order to optimize early neonatal care with varicella zoster immunoglobulin and immunization. Varicella zoster immunoglobulin should be administered to neonates whenever the onset of maternal disease is between 5 days before and 2 days after delivery.

Vaccine: Varicella vaccine is not to be given during pregnancy but reserved for non-immune patients after delivery, delayed 5 months after VZIG administration.

Patient information: Chickenpox and Pregnancy: www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/pregnancy_gateway/infections-chickenpox.html

Dr. Howard Roemer is an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the OU School of Community Medicine, Schusterman Center, Tulsa, Okla.; Dr. Benjamin Roemer is an emergency physician at Northwest Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz.; Dr. Katz is a clinical professor in the Department of OB-GYN at Oregon Health Sciences University and medical director for women’s services at Sacred Heart Medical Center for Genetics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Eugene, Ore.; Dr. Dewan is a physician infectious diseases and chair of the Infection Control Committee/Antibiotic Stewardship Program, at the Normal Regional Health System, Norman, Okla.; and Mr. Bentley is a pre-medical student.

[For the list of references, visit our online version of this article availabe at www.acepnews.com]