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Expert: Ben Peyton-Jones, Dr [See Biography] Question: I am pregnant and have shingles. Will this harm my baby? Dr Ben Peyton-Jones: Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus, and it appears as a painful rash of tiny blisters, usually on the arms, legs or body. You can't 'catch' shingles from anyone else — it appears in people who have had chicken pox. The virus tends to lay dormant for a number of years, but then can reactivate and manifest itself as the painful shingles rash. Whilst there is a close connection between shingles and chicken pox, there is no evidence to suggest that shingles in pregnancy will lead to any problems with your baby. This is probably because you have immunity to the virus, and this immunity is pa__sed on to your baby. This is not the case with chicken pox, as a small percentage of babies whose mothers catch chicken pox when they are pregnant have birth defects. Although you cannot give anybody shingles, it is possible to pa__s the virus on as chicken pox. For this reason, you should avoid other pregnant women if you are suffering from shingles, waiting until the lesions on your skin have healed up before you make contact. Your doctor will be able to discuss which treatment can help to relieve your symptoms with you. You may find that the treatment you are considering is not licensed for use during pregnancy, so you may want to talk this through, and think about whether the benefits outweigh any possible risks.