Pregnancy and the Roseola Virus

Pregnancy and the Roseola Virus
Pregnancy and the Roseola Virus

I’m pregnant (very early stages) and I was exposed to the roseola virus, through contact with my nephew who is six months old. This was 5 days ago. Now I want to know what the incubation period is, since my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was exposed as well. Is there any danger to my fetus? Is there anything I can do now?
Anna – Ontario, Canada


Dr. Greene’s Answer:

Congratulations on your new pregnancy! What an exciting (and sometimes scary) time! Thankfully, your nephew’s recent illness is unlikely to pose a problem for your new baby.






Now that we know what causes roseola, we also know that most children get HHV-6, and have the fever, but never develop the rash. It may be responsible for as many as 50% of the first fevers in children. Your daughter may well be immune. And you are very probably immune.

Roseola is an extremely common childhood illness. Its course is usually benign. Pregnant women are frequently exposed to the disease, yet it is not at all a common cause of congenital infections. Most textbooks don’t even list it among the causes of congenital infections.

In spite of the millions and millions of pregnancies documented in the medical literature, the first case of roseola in a pregnant woman wasn’t reported until 1992, in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. Since then, literally a handful of cases have been reported. In one study, however, HHV-6 was found on the cervix of 20% of healthy women during normal deliveries.

The emerging picture suggests that HHV-6 behaves like the other viruses in its class: If a mother is infected with HHV-6 for the first time during pregnancy, there is probably a small risk to the fetus. During the first trimester, that risk would be the possibility of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, infection would be more likely to result in birth defects, if there were any problem. Once a woman has had HHV-6 (and the most recent estimates are that more than 95% already have), subsequent exposure carries no significant risk. Since most pregnant women will have already been exposed to roseola before pregnancy, the likelihood of danger to your fetus due to your recent exposure to roseola is very slim. However, during pregnancy, it is wise to keep your obstetrician informed of any significant exposures. Be sure to also report to your obstretrician if any symptoms develop.

I wish you and your growing family the best. Your daughter will be a great age to be a big sister!

Last reviewed: November 07, 2008
Dr. Alan Greene

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