Sexual Health Buzz

I am a mother struggling in coming to terms with how I’ve possibly infected my newborn with hsv. I can only assume I contracted this virus through unprotected sex during my youth. I am completely to blame.

A few years after I settled down and married I was diagnosed with this disease. I had never had an outbreak prior to that so had no idea I carried the disease. I had already given birth and my child was already 2 yrs old when I first discovered I was infected. Thankfully she was born healthy but it sends chills down my spine knowing I gave birth to her vaginally NOT knowing I had the virus.

It almost destroyed my marriage. After telling my husband he initially was frightened of the virus. He even went through a period where he refused to touch me, not even shake my hand. As if my self-esteem wasn’t already damaged enough by the virus itself my husband’s behavior only compounded the hurt and pain I felt inside. After he was tested and realized he was already infected there was little need for him to fear the virus anymore. He has never had an outbreak to this day. We have argued countless times whether the virus actually came from me or him as we both had unprotected sex during our youth, so who knows? What’s done is done, blaming doesn’t change things. Somehow we managed to salvage our marriage yet to this day it is not as happy as it once was.

Three years after this turmoil I happily fell pregnant again. I was assured by my OBGYN that I could safely give birth vaginally if I had no signs of an outbreak and if I also took a course of antivirals. So I diligently took the medicine during my eighth month of pregnancy and prayed to God my baby would be protected. I soon gave birth to a healthy baby but at 10 days old he developed a strange rash on his eyes. It first appeared as small bumps so I dismissed it as baby acne but by day three the so called bumps had spread and began to turn yellow although they never ulcerated.

Fearing my child had hsv I took him to the ER where he saw the on duty pediatrician. At first glance she said the rash was a yeast infection but I swallowed my pride hard and questioned her if it could be something more serious given that I had hsv 2. I hated admitting to a complete stranger that I had this virus. She then called in yet another pediatrician for a 2nd opinion who decided that based on the appearance of the rash and my medical history that it was indeed hsv.

My baby was then admitted to hospital and given antivirals for 10 days. The rash on my babies eyes dramatically cleared up within three days. Blood tests showed my baby tested positive for hsv 1 and negative for hsv 2 which both confused and relieved me at the same time. The pediatrician then began to explain that MAYBE the baby contracted the virus from someone who had a coldsore and not me after all. I had already told them that my other child aged five suffered from hsv 1 on her lips and had given the new baby a kiss on his face after his birth yet the pediatrician said it was most likely he contracted it from me during birth.

What to believe? My heart ached not knowing. So they performed yet another blood test to test again for hsv 2 stating that maybe the first test would not have picked up the antibodies of type 2 so quickly given the way in which the baby contracted the virus via delivery. However the reason, they assume, for the positive type 1 was that I passed on the antibodies for that type to my child during the pregnancy. I never knew I had hsv type 1 either as I have never had a cold sore in my life.

My mind boggles at what virus came from where and who is to blame. I have yet to return to the hospital for the second test results. I suppose it’s a moot point now. My baby has the virus regardless. I spent those 10 days in the hospital blaming and hating myself and hating the unfairness of it all.

Due to the 2nd hospital stay and general business with a new baby I have yet to re visit my OBGYN so I’m not sure what she would make of this but my mid-wife did say she was surprised that this happened given I had no outbreak and was on antivirals but reminded me that there was always that risk however low. How could I be so selfish? After all I KNEW this time in advance that I had the virus. I could have protected my second baby even more but I was terrified of surgery. So I will now spend the rest of my life regretting not giving birth via cesarean.

The hospital assured me that other than the rash, my baby had suffered no other damage yet how could they be certain I question to this day as no other tests were performed.

My now two month old baby is healthy and active but I live in constant fear that the virus will reappear and affect his health and life negatively. What will I tell him as he grows older? Will he hate me for it when he becomes old enough to really understand what this virus is? Will it take his eyesight? How will it affect his life? These thoughts bombard me constantly and have me riddled with a pain in my heart I have never known before.

***If possible I would like to hear from mothers who have experienced similar situations with neonatal hsv and how they and their children have coped.

Thank you kindly, M.

There is a special blessing in the Christmas message which is frequently missed by many. The birth of Jesus is not simply an interesting fact of history wholly unrelated to your present life . . . rather, it has a direct bearing upon it.

When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, the personal importance of His coming was emphasized. He said, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Have you ever thought that it was for you the Saviour was born? Do you realize that when God sent His Son into the world, He sent Him to become your Saviour? Listen to the word of the herald angel, “I bring you good tidings of great joy . . . for unto you is born . . . a Saviour.” Yes . . . it was for you that Jesus came.

He did not come to be the inspiration of sacred art, nor to be the theme of glad song, much less to be merely a good man and a great teacher . . . Jesus came to be the Saviour, and as such He was born to you.

Bound inseparably together are the Saviour’s birth and His death. He came to save, and to save He must die . . . die in the sinner’s stead, bearing the full penalty of divine wrath of sin. This too was personal – it was for you.

And such a very personal message of God’s love and grace demands a personal response. The Saviour who was born was God’s gift to you. And He wants you to receive that gift. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

To receive the gift of God by faith you must believe that Christ actually was born to be your Saviour and that He died for your sins. Because He arose victorious over death, He offers you abundant, everlasting life.

Won’t you receive the gift of God this Christmas? It can be your best Christmas yet! – Dr. Willard M. Aldrich

*The cover art was created by Maya Jo Anderson who was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Kentucky Children’s Hospital for 3 months. She is not 3 years old and lives in Lexington. Thanks Angela for the beautiful Christmas card that you send me. Much love ~ Angela

This story was sent to me so that I could repost it to share with you on my herpes stories pages… I thought it would be nice to switch things up a bit and post a few true stories on my herpes blog so my readers could find them this way too. If you would like me to post your story please send them to me as I would be more than happy to. You are more than welcome to share a photo and if you prefer to remain anonymous that is fine too… we can just go by your first name only. Ok, this next story now begins…

I have had the herpes simplex virus type 1 cold sore since 2002. Being that type 2 is genital herpes I thought that was the only type of herpes that could be contracted from sex including oral..I was wrong. My ex boyfriend had cold sores on his mouth and without knowing he had them at the time, we had oral sex and that is how I got the disease. I didn’t know it at first. It was a few years ago so I can’t remember all of the symptoms. I just remember a burning and itching feeling down there as well as very bad chills and a fever. I went in to see the gyno and she diagnosed me with herpes type 1, vaginally.

I was devastated and depressed but I got over it quickly because I realized just how common this virus is! Then a year later I met my now husband and we got engaged a year after meeting. We planned our wedding for exactly a year from when he proposed. We then got pregnant and I was ecstatic. This was our first little bundle of joy and we were sooo happy!

Well being the worry wart that I am, that led me to think about neonatal herpes. I was aware of it from doing research on the Internet. I told my gyno. at every visit how worried I was and expressed my concerns. They blew off my concerns with “Oh don’t worry, neonatal herpes is very rare” and that was that. Even though I stated time and time again I wanted a C-section because I heard the baby would have a very very low chance of acquiring the disease if I had the baby via cesarean.

Well about a month before I delivered, the gyno prescribed Valtrex. I thought she prescribed Acyclovir which is a more mild form of the anti-viral med. So I went back a couple weeks later and she gave me an Acyclovir prescription. I took that medicine for 12 days up until the baby was born. I delivered vaginally per doctor’s advice, going against my gut instinct. Well I had NO SYMPTOMS of any herpes outbreak coming on. Truthfully, I even forgot about my whole worrying about the baby getting herpes when I was in labor. I remember the doctor telling me she was putting a fetal scalp monitor in me to monitor the baby’s heart rate I believe. But later on I read that if you have herpes DO NOT let the doctor use a fetal scalp monitor, because that punctures a little skin of the baby and the herpes virus could seep in.

Well, a week after we had our beautiful baby home I noticed a red bump on his leg that later turned into a blister. I honestly still didn’t think anything of it and took him to the doctor for his normal check up and I pointed out the blister and the doctor mentioned to me that she thought it was herpes. My heart sank at that point. All of the worrying before I had the baby came flooding back. It was like an ocean of worry that I had built up all 9 months of my pregnancy flooding me and knocking me down, when I heard those words: “I think it’s herpes”.

Without even having the blood work or any of the testing done I knew in my heart my baby had contracted the cold sore virus from me. We took him to the hospital and they did spinal taps on him and hooked him up to an IV. It was a nightmare I was living. To see my beautiful baby in a hospital, potentially dying or severe brain damage because of a disgusting disease picked up during sex. The thought of that just made me so sick- I felt the world was coming to an end for me..

My husband stood by me the whole time and was there standing strong for both me and him. Luckily he knew I had the cold sore virus and he knew how I always went to my gyno during my pregnancy scared shit. So although we were both scared and horrified, it wasn’t a guessing game as to how he got it. We stayed with our baby for 2 days before we got the results. They came back that he had HSV 1 skin eye mouth disease. So far the spinal taps came back negative- Thank God, I thank God every day. But at the same time he is now almost 5 months old and doctors say he could STILL get encephalitis or the herpes virus can come out and attack his organs. I am very angry at the gynecologists for not listening to my concerns. She should have never used a fetal scalp monitor on me, knowing that I had herpes. She was very careless with my baby and my body- I truly hate this person. To walk around with hatred is no good, but I have to worry every day about my baby’s disease..that could have been prevented provided I had good doctors looking after me.

This is a warning to all women who have herpes and want to or are pregnant. I don’t want other babies out there getting this virus. Please make sure if you choose to have a vaginal birth that the doctors don’t use a device called a fetal scalp monitor. Make sure you request herpes cultures to be taken during your last month of pregnancy to make sure that there is no viral shedding. The virus could be present with no symptoms, known as asymptomatic shedding. I think that is what I had at the time of delivery. It scares me to know that you can have the virus present at the time of delivery and not know it. The doctor can’t do a culture test at the time of delivery because it takes a few days to get the results back.

They say it’s rare for a baby to acquire the disease but it DOES happen. It happened to my baby. If you personally feel it is worth having a C-Section, because that reduces the risk of giving your baby neonatal herpes (There is still a change the baby can get the virus while he/she is in the womb..that is called in utero , meaning they acquired it in the uterus) please get the c- section. I know I will with my next. Although it is a very rare disease, it does happen. 1 in 3000 doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you are the 1 like I am out of the 3000, that ain’t nothing but a damn number. I think because neonatal herpes is so rare, doctors take a pregnant women having herpes lightly… and the consequences to that child are deadly.

Note from Angela:

Obviously I don’t agree that women with herpes should be forced to have C-sections. C-sections are major surgery and should only be used (in my opinion) as a last resort. Furthermore, a baby can not contract herpes while inside of Mom. A mother who has had herpes prior to becoming pregnant shares her antibodies with her unborn child. For those who have yet to read my herpes pregnancy story you can do so here…

I’m sure Laura shared her story as best she could but I’m also suspecting that there might be parts of her story she doesn’t understand. Even so… I went ahead and decided to go ahead and post it because after all… it’s her story to share. If you have read this story and would like to share your opinion as well, feel free to leave a comment.

Having herpes when you’re pregnant

Pregnant and worried about STDS

Send me your story

As an Expectant Parent eagerly awaiting the birth of your new baby, you are probably taking a number of steps to ensure your baby’s health. One step many experts recommend is that you become informed about herpes simplex virus (HSV). This common virus is usually a mild infection in adults. But in infants, HSV can cause a rare, but serious, illness.

What is herpes simplex virus?

HSV can cause sores near the mouth (oral herpes or “cold sores”) or sores on the genitals (genital herpes). HSV-1 is the usual cause of oral herpes, and HSV-2 is the usual cause of genital herpes. But either type of HSV can infect either part of the body. Either type can infect a baby.

How common is herpes simplex?

Some 80% of American adults have oral herpes (”cold sores”), and more than 20% have genital herpes. You can get genital herpes if you have sexual contact with a partner who is infected, or if a partner who has an active cold sore performs oral sex on you. Most people with HSV don’t know they are infected because they have no symptoms, or symptoms too mild to notice.

How can herpes simplex spread to an infant?

• Herpes simplex is most often spread to an infant during birth, if the mother has HSV in the birth canal during delivery.
• HSV can also be spread to the baby if he or she is kissed by someone with an active cold sore.
• In rare instances, HSV may be spread by touch, if someone touches an active cold sore and then immediately touches the baby.

How can herpes harm a baby?

HSV can cause neonatal herpes, a rare but life threatening disease. Neonatal herpes can cause eye or throat infections, damage to the central nervous system, mental retardation, or death. Medication may help prevent or reduce lasting damage if it is given early.

How many babies get neonatal herpes?

Less than 0.1% of babies born in the United States each year get neonatal herpes. By contrast, some 20-25% of pregnant women have genital herpes. This means that the great majority of women with genital herpes give birth to healthy, happy babies.

Which babies are most at risk?

Babies are most at risk for neonatal herpes if the mother contracts genital HSV late in pregnancy. This is because a newly infected mother does not have antibodies against the virus, so there is no natural protection for the baby during birth. In addition, a new herpes infection is frequently active, so there is a real chance that the virus will be present in the birth canal during delivery.

What about pregnant women who have a history of genital herpes?

Women who acquire genital herpes before they become pregnant have a very low risk of transmitting the virus to their babies. This is because their immune systems make antibodies that are passed to the baby through the placenta. Even if HSV is active in the birth canal during delivery, the antibodies help protect the baby. In addition, if a mother knows she has genital herpes, her doctor can take steps to protect the baby.

PROTECTING THE BABY: WOMEN WITH GENITAL HERPES

If you are pregnant and you have genital herpes, you may be concerned about the risk of spreading the infection to your baby. Be reassured that the risk is extremely small – especially if you have had herpes for some time. The following steps can help make the risk even smaller:

• Talk with your obstetrician or midwife. Make sure he or she knows you have genital herpes.
• At the time of labor, check yourself for any symptoms in the genital area – sores, itching, tingling or tenderness. Your health care provider will also examine you with a strong light to detect any signs of an outbreak.
• If you have an active outbreak at the time of delivery, the safest course is cesarean section to prevent the baby’s coming into contact with virus in the birth canal. If you do not have an active outbreak, you can have a vaginal delivery.
• Ask your doctor not to break the bag of waters around the baby unless necessary. The bag of waters may help protect the baby against any virus in the birth canal.
• As your doctor not to use a fetal scalp monitor (scalp electrodes) during labor to monitor the baby’s heart rate unless medically necessary. This instrument makes tiny punctures in the baby’s scalp, which may allow herpes virus to enter. In most cases, an external monitor can be used instead.
• Ask that a vacuum or forceps not be used during delivery unless medically necessary. These instruments can also cause breaks in the baby’s scalp, allowing virus to enter.
• After birth, watch the baby closely for about three weeks. Symptoms of neonatal herpes include blisters, fever, laziness, crankiness, or lack of appetite. While these can be symptoms of several mild illnesses, don’t wait to see if your baby will get better. Take him or her to the pediatrician at once. Be sure to tell the pediatrician you have genital herpes.
• Think positively! The odds are strongly in favor of your having a healthy baby.

PROTECTING THE BABY: WOMEN WHO DON’T HAVE GENITAL HERPES

The greatest risk of neonatal herpes is to babies whose mothers contract genital infection late in pregnancy. While this is a rare occurrence, it does happen, and can cause a serious, even life-threatening, illness for the baby. The best way you can protect your baby is to know the facts about HSV and how to protect yourself. The first step may be finding out whether you already carry the virus.

How can I get tested for genital HSV?

If you have symptoms, the best test is a viral culture. To perform this test, your health care provider must take a sample from an outbreak while it is active, preferably on the first day. Test results are available in about a week. If you don’t have symptoms, a blood test can tell you whether you carry HSV-2, the type of herpes that usually infects the genital tract. (A blood test may also tell you whether you have HSV-1, but in many cases this simply means you have oral herpes.) The most accurate blood test is the Western blot, available from the University of Washington at Seattle. Your doctor can find out more about the test by calling (206) 548-6066. Other accurate tests, such as immunoblot assays, may be available through reference laboratories soon. Your doctor can find out more by calling (888) 703-4455.

How can I make sure I don’t get genital HSV?

If you test negative for genital herpes, the following steps can help protect you from getting an infection during pregnancy:

• If your partner has genital herpes, abstain from sex during active outbreaks. Between outbreaks, use a condom from start to finish every time you have sexual contact, even if your partner has no symptoms. (HSV can spread when no symptoms are present.) Consider abstaining from sex during the last trimester.
• If you don’t know whether your partner has genital HSV, you may wish to ask your partner to be tested. If your partner has genital or oral HSV, there is a very real chance that you may acquire it unless you take steps to prevent transmission.
• Do not let your partner perform oral sex on you if your partner has an active cold sore (oral herpes). This can give you genital herpes.

What if I contract genital HSV during late pregnancy?

If you experience genital symptoms, or believe you have been exposed to genital HSV, tell your obstetrician or midwife at once. However, be aware that herpes can lie dormant for several years. What appears to be a new infection is usually an old one that is causing symptoms for the first time. Talk with your provider about the best way to protect your baby. When a pregnant woman does contract a new genital HSV infection during the last trimester, some providers will prescribe the medication acyclovir. Some recommend a cesarean delivery under these circumstances, even if no outbreak is present.

How can I protect the baby after birth?

A baby can get neonatal herpes in the first eight weeks after birth. Such infections are almost always caused by a kiss from an adult who has a cold sore. To protect your baby, don’t kiss him or her when you have a cold sore, and ask others not to. If you have a cold sore, wash your hands before touching the baby.

FOR PARTNERS OF PREGNANT WOMEN

If your partner is pregnant, and she does not have genital HSV, you can help ensure that the baby remains safe from infection. Find out whether you have genital HSV (see “How can I get tested?”). Remember, more than 20% of Americans do have genital HSV, and most do not have symptoms. If you find that you have the virus, follow these guidelines to protect your partner during the pregnancy:

• Use condoms from start to finish every time you have sexual contact, even if you have no symptoms. HSV can be spread even when no symptoms are present.
• If you have genital outbreaks, abstain from sex until the outbreak has completely healed.
• Talk with your health care provider about taking antiviral medication to suppress outbreaks and to reduce the risk of transmission between outbreaks.
• Consider abstaining from intercourse during the last trimester. Explore alternatives such as touching, kissing, fantasizing, and massage.
• If you have cold sores (usually caused by HSV-1), avoid performing oral sex on your partner when a cold sore is present.

Here are some links you may find helpful:

• Herpes and Pregnancy
• Discussion board for pregnant women with herpes

As an Expectant Parent eagerly awaiting the birth of your new baby, you are probably taking a number of steps to ensure your baby’s health. One step many experts recommend is that you become informed about herpes simplex virus (HSV). This common virus is usually a mild infection in adults. But in infants, HSV can cause a rare, but serious, illness.

What is herpes simplex virus?

HSV can cause sores near the mouth (oral herpes or “cold sores”) or sores on the genitals (genital herpes). HSV-1 is the usual cause of oral herpes, and HSV-2 is the usual cause of genital herpes. But either type of HSV can infect either part of the body. Either type can infect a baby.

HSV-1 and HSV-2

How common is herpes simplex?

Some 80% of American adults have oral herpes (”cold sores”), and more than 20% have genital herpes. You can get genital herpes if you have sexual contact with a partner who is infected, or if a partner who has an active cold sore performs oral sex on you. Most people with HSV don’t know they are infected because they have no symptoms, or symptoms too mild to notice.

How can herpes simplex spread to an infant?

1. Herpes simplex is most often spread to an infant during birth, if the mother has HSV in the birth canal during delivery.

2. HSV can also be spread to the baby if he or she is kissed by someone with an active cold sore.

3. In rare instances, HSV may be spread by touch, if someone touches an active cold sore and then immediately touches the baby.

How can herpes harm a baby?

HSV can cause neonatal herpes , a rare but life threatening disease. Neonatal herpes can cause eye or throat infections, damage to the central nervous system, mental retardation, or death. Medication may help prevent or reduce lasting damage if it is given early.

How many babies get neonatal herpes?

Less than 0.1% of babies born in the United States each year get neonatal herpes. By contrast, some 20-25% of pregnant women have genital herpes. This means that the great majority of women with genital herpes give birth to healthy, happy babies.

Which babies are most at risk?

Babies are most at risk for neonatal herpes if the mother contracts genital HSV late in pregnancy. This is because a newly infected mother does not have antibodies against the virus, so there is no natural protection for the baby during birth. In addition, a new herpes infection is frequently active, so there is a real chance that the virus will be present in the birth canal during delivery.

What about pregnant women who have a history of genital herpes?

Women who acquire genital herpes before they become pregnant have a very low risk of transmitting the virus to their babies. This is because their immune systems make antibodies that are passed to the baby through the placenta. Even if HSV is active in the birth canal during delivery, the antibodies help protect the baby. In addition, if a mother knows she has genital herpes, her doctor can take steps to protect the baby.

PROTECTING THE BABY: WOMEN WITH GENITAL HERPES

If you are pregnant and you have genital herpes, you may be concerned about the risk of spreading the infection to your baby. Be reassured that the risk is extremely small – especially if you have had herpes for some time. The following steps can help make the risk even smaller:

1. Talk with your obstetrician or midwife. Make sure he or she knows you have genital herpes.

2. At the time of labor, check yourself for any symptoms in the genital area – sores, itching, tingling or tenderness. Your health care provider will also examine you with a strong light to detect any signs of an outbreak.

3. If you have an active outbreak at the time of delivery, the safest course is cesarean section to prevent the baby’s coming into contact with virus in the birth canal. If you do not have an active outbreak, you can have a vaginal delivery.

4. Ask your doctor not to break the bag of waters around the baby unless necessary. The bag of waters may help protect the baby against any virus in the birth canal.

5. As your doctor not to use a fetal scalp monitor (scalp electrodes) during labor to monitor the baby’s heart rate unless medically necessary. This instrument makes tiny punctures in the baby’s scalp, which may allow herpes virus to enter. In most cases, an external monitor can be used instead.

6. Ask that a vacuum or forceps not be used during delivery unless medically necessary. These instruments can also cause breaks in the baby’s scalp, allowing virus to enter.

7. After birth, watch the baby closely for about three weeks. Symptoms of neonatal herpes include blisters, fever, laziness, crankiness, or lack of appetite. While these can be symptoms of several mild illnesses, don’t wait to see if your baby will get better. Take him or her to the pediatrician at once. Be sure to tell the pediatrician you have genital herpes.

8. Think positively! The odds are strongly in favor of your having a healthy baby.

PROTECTING THE BABY: WOMEN WHO DON’T HAVE GENITAL HERPES

The greatest risk of neonatal herpes is to babies whose mothers contract genital infection late in pregnancy. While this is a rare occurrence, it does happen, and can cause a serious, even life-threatening, illness for the baby. The best way you can protect your baby is to know the facts about HSV and how to protect yourself. The first step may be finding out whether you already carry the virus.

How can I get tested for genital HSV?

If you have symptoms, the best test is a viral culture. To perform this test, your health care provider must take a sample from an outbreak while it is active, preferably on the first day. Test results are available in about a week. If you don’t have symptoms, a blood test can tell you whether you carry HSV-2, the type of herpes that usually infects the genital tract. (A blood test may also tell you whether you have HSV-1, but in many cases this simply means you have oral herpes.) The most accurate blood test is the Western blot, available from the University of Washington at Seattle. Your doctor can find out more about the test by calling (206) 548-6066. Other accurate tests, such as immunoblot assays, may be available through reference laboratories soon. Your doctor can find out more by calling (888) 703-4455.

Herpes Testing

How can I make sure I don’t get genital HSV?

If you test negative for genital herpes, the following steps can help protect you from getting an infection during pregnancy:

1. If your partner has genital herpes, abstain from sex during active outbreaks. Between outbreaks, use a condom from start to finish every time you have sexual contact, even if your partner has no symptoms. (HSV can spread when no symptoms are present.) Consider abstaining from sex during the last trimester.

2. If you don’t know whether your partner has genital HSV, you may wish to ask your partner to be tested. If your partner has genital or oral HSV, there is a very real chance that you may acquire it unless you take steps to prevent transmission.

3. Do not let your partner perform oral sex on you if your partner has an active cold sore (oral herpes). This can give you genital herpes.

What if I contract genital HSV during late pregnancy?

If you experience genital symptoms, or believe you have been exposed to genital HSV, tell your obstetrician or midwife at once. However, be aware that herpes can lie dormant for several y ears. What appears to be a new infection is usually an old one that is causing symptoms for the first time. Talk with your provider about the best way to protect your baby. When a pregnant woman does contract a new genital HSV infection during the last trimester, some providers will prescribe the medication acyclovir. Some recommend a cesarean delivery under these circumstances, even if no outbreak is present.

How can I protect the baby after birth?

A baby can get neonatal herpes in the first eight weeks after birth. Such infections are almost always caused by a kiss from an adult who has a cold sore. To protect your baby, don’t kiss him or her when you have a cold sore, and ask others not to. If you have a cold sore, wash your hands before touching the baby.

FOR PARTNERS OF PREGNANT WOMEN

If your partner is pregnant, and she does not have genital HSV, you can help ensure that the baby remains safe from infection. Find out whether you have genital HSV (see “How can I get tested?”). Remember, more than 20% of Americans do have genital HSV, and most do not have symptoms. If you find that you have the virus, follow these guidelines to protect your partner during the pregnancy:

1. Use condoms from start to finish every time you have sexual contact, even if you have no symptoms. HSV can be spread even when no symptoms are present.

2. If you have genital outbreaks, abstain from sex until the outbreak has completely healed.

3. Talk with your health care provider about taking antiviral medication to suppress outbreaks and to reduce the risk of transmission between outbreaks.

4. Consider abstaining from intercourse during the last trimester. Explore alternatives such as touching, kissing, fantasizing, and massage.

5. If you have cold sores (usually caused by HSV-1), avoid performing oral sex on your partner when a cold sore is present.

Here are some links you may find helpful

Herpes and Pregnancy

Pregnant and worried about STDS

Checkup Today