Varicella vaccination, pregnancy and breastfeeding: The current situation

The varicella vaccine is recommended for women with no history of varicella who are planning become pregnant, as well as for post-pregnancy women, to prevent the occurrence of this illness and severe complications, especially an embryopathy, when it occurs in a pregnant woman (congenital varicella syndrome). This live attenuated vaccine should not be administered during pregnancy, nor the month preceding it. However, when this occurs inadvertently, the data collected on the outcomes exposed pregnancies, although few in women seronegative at the time of vaccination, allow to reassure the patients to date, as no congenital varicella syndrome has been reported to date following accidental vaccination in early pregnancy. On the other hand, during breastfeeding, a woman may be vaccinated there is an expected short- or medium-term benefit (varicella exposure, planned pregnancy. . .). (c) 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.