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Published 15:32 27 Apr 2026 BST
Advice has been issued to pregnant women in Ireland are being as the number of chickenpox cases rise across the country.
The common illness can be “very dangerous” for expectant mothers.
“It’s very dangerous for pregnant women when they’re exposed to chickenpox, particularly if they haven't had chickenpox as a child themselves. So, the risk for them is not only for them, but also for their baby,” according to immunologist Professor Christine Loscher.
Speaking to Newstalk recently, she said: “The advice always is if you’re a pregnant woman and you have been exposed to somebody with chickenpox, consult with your GP.
“You can have an antibody test on and actually routinely in maternity hospitals.
“They would routinely, for the most part, check women to see if they have antibodies to chickenpox so that they can be reassured that exposure is not dangerous.”
The first symptom of chickenpox is usually a small spotty rash and it can appear anywhere on the body, but most commonly starts around the head or neck.
However, there are a few early signs you can keep an eye out for that occur one to two days before the rash appears:
