The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued a health advisory about an alarming rise in cases of parvovirus B19. The childhood illness — also known as Fifth Disease, or “slapped cheek” illness due to it causing telltale reddened cheeks — can be particularly dangerous to pregnant women, the agency says.
The CDC looked at people with IgM antibodies, which indicates a recent infection, and shared that children aged 5-9 saw the greatest increase, going from “15% during 2022–2024 to 40% in June 2024.”
Among all ages, the presence of the antibodies increased from 3% during 2022–2024 to 10% in June 2024.
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Parvovirus B19 is “highly transmissible in respiratory droplets,” the CDC says. About a week after exposure, symptoms including fever and malaise may develop.
In the second week, the telltale facial rash — which gives the virus its nickname “slapped cheek” — appears, and may be joined by body pain.
While most people only require supportive care, pregnant women are at risk of “adverse fetal outcome,” which the agency says includes fetal anemia, non-immune hydrops (which can stress the heart), or fetal loss.
The risk is highest if a pregnant woman gets parvovirus between weeks 9–20.
Springfield, Ill., teacher Abby Parks was 18 weeks pregnant when she came down with parvovirus B19 — which caused her fetus to develop anemia, NBC News reports.
She was hospitalized and received blood transfusions, telling the outlet, “I do think it was lifesaving for the fetus.”
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“Because if that anemia had persisted, with that low blood count, the baby could have died.”
Parks isn’t alone, as the CDC notes they’ve received reports from clinicians who have observed “more than the expected number” of pregnant people with parvovirus B19.
Those reports, the agency says, include “cases resulting in severe fetal anemia requiring fetal transfusions or pregnancy loss.”
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The agency cautions that you should seek medical care if you are pregnant and have been exposed to parvovirus B19 — but adds that once the distinctive facial rash appears, the patient is no longer contagious.
Parks, now at 30 weeks, says she and her fetus are closely monitored — calling the illness “truly the most difficult experience to go through.”
“He wasn’t guaranteed to come through the fetal anemia.”
