Chicken pox vaccine not recommended for some people
Chicken pox vaccine is not recommended for certain people, including:
- Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding. Women need to wait 3 months after receiving the chicken pox vaccine before they become pregnant.
- Some people with impaired immune systems.
- People who are taking high doses of corticosteroids by mouth. People who are taking low doses of corticosteroids or who are taking these medicines by inhalation (such as people with asthma) may be able to get the chicken pox vaccine.
- People with serious long-term illnesses, such as children with leukemia.
- People who are allergic to the antibiotic neomycin. The chicken pox vaccine contains a small amount of neomycin.
- People who have recently received an injection of immunoglobulin (IG). This is used to increase a person's ability to fight infection. People need to wait 3 to 6 months after receiving IG before getting the chicken pox vaccine.
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH Ralph Poore | Last Updated: May 30, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics | |
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