Final answer:
Congenital varicella refers to the transmission of the varicella-zoster virus from an infected mother to her fetus during pregnancy. Newborns exposed to varicella around the time of delivery can be given VZIG to reduce the severity of the infection.
Step-by-step explanation:
Congenital varicella refers to the transmission of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) from an infected mother to her fetus during pregnancy. If the mother is infected with varicella during the first or second trimester, the fetus is at risk of developing congenital varicella syndrome, which can lead to serious complications.
If the mother is exposed to varicella within 5 days before delivery or 2 days after delivery, the newborn is at risk of developing varicella infection. In this case, the newborn can be given varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG) to reduce the severity of the infection.