According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), slapped cheek syndrome can be passed down from a pregnant mother to her baby — causing severe anemia and even miscarriage. Although about half of pregnant women are immune to Fifth Disease, which ultimately protects their babies from contacting it, others aren’t so lucky. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Carlile, who told Chronicle Live that she contracted “slapped cheek syndrome” at the nursery she works in Newcastle, United Kingdom. “Due to already having a large hematoma in my uterus, I was re-scanned two days later which confirmed my boy was becoming rapidly more ill," she told Chronicle Live. “It was confirmed the anemia was caused by the slapped cheek.” In the wake of her baby’s death, Carlile created a Change.org petition calling for the British government to spread more information about Fifth Disease in schools. She also wants hospitals to offer preliminary blood tests for pregnant women who are likely to come in contact with the disease. “Although we won’t be able to eradicate slapped cheek, we can at least try and come together and raise awareness,” she said. “I want to put something in place so fewer people have to go through this."
