# Chickenpox and the unborn child - reassure me
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chickenpox-and-the-unborn-child-reassure-me/359927
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 8, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chickenpox-and-the-unborn-child-reassure-me/359927 "2006-06-08T18:07:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2006, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chickenpox-and-the-unborn-child-reassure-me/359927/21 "2006-06-14T08:16:36Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#):
>
> I think it’s measles you’re thinking of. I’ve never heard anything attached to chicken pox (though I could be wrong), but measles have been known to cause birth defects when contracted in the first trimester.
Actually, it’s Rubella, or German Measles that cause birth defects, not Rubeola which is regular measles.
That said, Rubeola is very dangerous in adults. Chicken Pox can make an adult quite ill too, so if she hasn’t had either the vaccine or the disease, she should see her healthcare professional.
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2006, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chickenpox-and-the-unborn-child-reassure-me/359927/22 "2006-06-14T08:19:45Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#):
>
> [http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/babies/Rubella.htm](http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/babies/Rubella.htm)
>
> FYI, I don’t think most kids even get measles anymore. The vaccine pretty much erradicated it, didn’t it? I think they may not even vaccinate against it any more. Any parents of the under 10 set got the skinny on this?
In Spain every 12 year old girl gets it at school. The government figured out many years ago that since there’s some vaccinations due at that age (reminders of other vaccines, plus rubella for girls) and kids that age have to be at school, it’s easier and cheaper to bring the vaccines to the students than the students to the vaccines…
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### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2006, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chickenpox-and-the-unborn-child-reassure-me/359927/23 "2006-06-14T08:28:15Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#):
>
> We had (have) a huge stink going on here in the US that there is something in the vaccine that causes autism. There may or may not be truth to it, and I guess it’s being investigated, but not nearly as vigorously as some people would like. For that reason, I think many parents have chosen not to vaccinate. And I think that may be illegal. Has anyone else heard about this?
The controversy is over the presence of mercury in vaccines. The thing is, there hasn’t been mercury in any vaccines in the US for more than 20 years.
There have been several studies of the vaccines used today. None has shown any link to autism.
Part of the problem is autism usually surfaces at about the same time the child is getting the bulk of their immunizations. Because families want to blame something or someone for their child’s illness, they see links that don’t exist.
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### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2006, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chickenpox-and-the-unborn-child-reassure-me/359927/24 "2006-06-14T08:33:05Z")
Absolutely, American children still get MMR. There are measles out breaks every year. It is much reduced, only about 100 cases a year. But, it’s far from eridicated.
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