Herpes and Pregnancy - coldsoreblisters.com

Herpes Forum
How to get herpes?
Symptoms
First Outbreak
Facts about Herpes
What is a virus?
Transmission
Recurrences
Herpes & Pregancy
Picture Gallery
Herpes Causes
Testing
Viral Shedding
Varicella Infections
Medication
Help Hotlines
Dating & Romance
Introduce Yourself
Recently Diagnosed
Venting
Is This Herpes?
Family & Friends
Pregnancy & Childbirth
Outbreaks
Cold Sores & Blisters
Genital Herpes
Common Treatments
Herpes Prevention

Link Partners

Add us on Myspace

Users Online

What about pregnancy? Can babies get herpes?

Babies can become infected with the herpes virus. If you've been exposed to herpes, you need to talk with your doctor about it before you get pregnant. This is important even if you've never had symptoms or haven't had a recurrence in a long time. The doctor might arrange a test to see if virus is present when you go into labor. In addition, you should be examined to see if you have herpes at labor and should notify the doctor if you think you have active symptoms at that time.

If no virus is found in the birth canal and there are no symptoms or signs of an outbreak, a vaginal delivery is considered safe. If herpes is present in the birth canal near the time of delivery, a cesarean section might be necessary to protect the newborn from coming into direct contact with the virus.

Babies also can get herpes if they are kissed by someone with a cold sore. A young baby cannot fight off infections as easily as an adult can, so serious problems might result. It's important that you do not kiss a baby when you have a cold sore.

What if I get herpes during pregnancy?

If you have your first genital herpes outbreak during pregnancy, you should tell your doctor. Your doctor may want to treat you with antiviral medicine. The risk of your baby getting herpes is much higher if you have your first genital herpes outbreak near the time of delivery.

It is important to avoid getting herpes during pregnancy. If your partner has a history of herpes and you do not have it, be sure to use condoms during sexual intercourse at all times. Your partner could pass the infection to you even if there are no painful sores. If there are painful sores, avoid having sex until the sores have healed.

While herpes infection can be devastating to a newborn, it is rare. Nearly one in every three women of childbearing age in the United States today has the virus that causes genital herpes. Yet fewer than 1 in every 2,000 newborns born to such a woman develops the infection. Good prenatal care may reduce this already small risk even further. However, since the interval between birth and diagnosis of neonatal herpes has not changed in the last twenty years, identification of who is at risk of transmission is imperative. Once identified, the pediatrician can be alerted to the potential risk of neonatal herpes.