Mpox virus

Date: August 2024, Version 1.0

Quick read

Catching mpox during pregnancy can cause severe illness and might harm the unborn baby. Vaccines to prevent mpox can be given in pregnancy, and pregnant women diagnosed with mpox can be treated with an antiviral medicine called tecovirimat.

What is it?

Mpox (previously known as monkeypox) is a viral infection which is most common in some African countries. Mpox is spread by close personal contact, including through sex. Mpox can cause fever (high temperature), headache, backache, tiredness, swollen glands, and a rash.

What is the treatment for mpox?

Mpox can be prevented with vaccination. The mpox vaccine is usually only offered to people who are at higher risk of catching mpox (for example, if they have a close contact who is at high risk of catching mpox, or due to their job, or travel). There are no known risks of having non-live vaccines (like the mpox vaccine) during pregnancy, and clear benefits of vaccination in preventing harm to the woman and her baby.

Women who think they have mpox in pregnancy should urgently contact a doctor. In some cases, treatment with an antiviral medicine called tecovirimat might be needed. Tecovirimat is preferred in pregnancy to other antivirals as the way it works means that it is considered the safest option.

How might mpox affect an unborn baby?

There is not much information on pregnant women with mpox. While there are reports of healthy babies following mpox infection in pregnancy, there are also reports of miscarriages, stillbirths, and illness in newborn babies who caught mpox from their mothers while in the womb. It is not yet clear why some babies are not affected, or whether catching mpox at a particular stage of pregnancy might be more (or less) risky.

Where can I find more information about mpox?

You can check the latest information, including about areas with mpox outbreaks, on the Travel Health Pro website.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information on insect repellents from www.uktis.org.

How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?

Our online reporting system (MyBump Portal) allows women who are currently pregnant to create a secure record of their pregnancy, collected through a series of questionnaires. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, your pregnancy outcome and your child's development. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit the MyBump Portal to register.

General information
Sadly, miscarriage and birth defects can occur in any pregnancy.

Miscarriage occurs in about 1 in every 5 pregnancies, and 1 in every 40 babies are born with a birth defect. This is called the ‘background risk’ and happens whether medication is taken or not.

Most medicines cross the placenta and reach the baby. For many medications this is not a problem. However, some medicines can affect a baby’s growth and development.

If you take regular medication and are planning to conceive, you should discuss whether your medicine is safe to continue with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking a medicine, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please make sure that the person prescribing it knows that you are pregnant. If you have any concerns about a medicine, you can check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

Our Bumps information leaflets provide information about the effects of medicines in pregnancy so that you can decide, together with your healthcare provider, what is best for you and your baby.