Valtrex / Acyclovir is considered safe to use while pregnant
Posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 at 5:53 amValtrex is actually a very well studied drug. It is a prodrug for acyclovir, which has been around for 30+ years. Valtrex turns into acyclovir after it is absorbed which allows your body to get more of the drug into your system for longer (which is why you take Valtrex less frequently than acyclovir).
Although it has not been officially tested for use during pregnancy (very few drugs ever are as to do this would require testing on pregnant women … not a thing most people are happy with), it is considered safe to use when pregnant — a category “B” medication. There was at one time a pregnancy registry for acyclovir (the drug your body converts Valtrex into) that followed pregnant women. Somewhere close to 1000 women taking Valtrex while pregnant were followed and the rate of defects amongst that group was considered to be the same as for women not taking any medication. There was for a while a registry for Valtrex as well, but it ran for a shorter period of time and, although the results were similar, the number of women followed was not enough to draw as strong of conclusions.
Taking Acyclovir or Valtrex suppressively during the last weeks of pregnancy is recommended. Even though you are passing the antibodies onto your infant, the suppressive therapy should prevent you from shedding the virus and/or having an outbreak. During the last weeks of pregnancy your child is less likely to suffer any ill effects from any medication you may take. This is not to say you should not weigh your options and make your own decisions.
I took Valtrex throughout my pregnancy and my child is fine and beautiful. I was comfortable enough with the drug’s profile that I told my doctor up front that I intended to take the drug throughout my pregnancy to protect my partner.
I doubt you need to be concerned about allergic reactions, especially if you’ve taken the drug before as you would have had the reaction then. Valtrex/Acyclovir have very low allergic profiles (aka even people with a bad history of allergies normally don’t react to them). Antivirals are completely different beasts from antibiotics and just don’t wreak the havoc on your body that an antibiotic can. Valtrex/Acyclovir very specifically targets herpes by mimicking a substance the virus needs to reproduce. When the virus grabs onto the antiviral, the antiviral gets in the way of the virus being able to reproduce. The substance Valtrex/acyclovir mimics is not a substance your body needs so your body doesn’t tend to react to the drug much.
I’m trying to break down a complex bit of biochemistry here, so I may be guilty of oversimplifying how Valtrex/acyclovir works. There are some resources on the net that go into this stuff in detail and you may want to read up on them if you are interested in a more advanced explanation. – Lorraine
If you have something to say about herpes and what it’s like to be pregnant when you have herpes I’d love to hear from you. You can send me bits of advice OR your own personal story and I would be more than happy to publish it so that we can work to help people that don’t know enough about this to make a decision for themselves.
As with anything health related please see your own doctor. Our personal experiences shared do not indicate truth for everybody that is in similar situations. The information shared is based on our own personal experiences. No two herpes cases are alike.
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i honestly believe if you have the virus and people shun you for it then they are lower then scum on the earth. the simplex virus of herpes is nothing to be ashamed of a lot of people have it without knowing that they even have it. I myself didnt know that i had it and i had just one brake out and i was terrified to tell my boyfriend (now my husband) for i thought that he was going to leave me. but as you see we are now married. for the people who shun other people cause they have the virus they are worth nothing and mean nothing to me aleast for you all i dont know
but anyways i just wanted to tell my personal story about have the virus my self and i am not ashamed of haveing it. so my name is jennifer and i have herpes
Hi Jennifer!! Thank you so much for sharing your story with us!! Happy New Year!!
i have genital Herpes too.
Not that i think it is a shame but my boyfriend couldn’t accept it and left me (few hours ago by the way)…certainly by ignorance.
i don’t blame him though… but i am truly sadden by this especially when i deeply loved him…
But what i see is that when a door shuts another one opens. So i am moving on and i hope to have someone who would not be afraid when there is no reason to…
Oumy
What a fantastic attitude you have about all of this!! It’s his loss for sure!! ;)
I really could’nt believe that Valtrex/Acyclovir is safe to use while pregnant but anyway very entertaining story.
How come you don’t believe it’s ok to take Valtrex while you are pregnant?
Of course it’s ok to take Valtrex while you are pregnant. Lots of Mom’s that have herpes prior to becoming pregnant go on suppressive therapy during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy to keep from getting an outbreak during labor and delivery.
Having been a pregnant Mom with herpes before I treated my own outbreaks with Valtrex while I was pregnant. It’s perfectly fine to do so I’m not sure why you don’t think it is?
What I want to know is can i take valtrex during my pregnancy?
I have had oral herpes since I was 9. Well is it called oral when it come in and around my nose?? Anyway I have been getting it since I was a kid and now I am 36 weeks pregnant and I have an outbreak now right under my nose. This is my second outbreak since I’ve been pregnant and I didn’t know you could take valtrex while pregnant. I have been taking valtrex for so long I can’t remember when I started. I’m so glad I can take it cause the first outbreak I had took so long to go away cause I just put on topical over the counter medicines. Now I am going to start taking it again so I can kiss my baby when he is born. Oh and FYI DO NOT kiss your baby if you have or even THINK you are going to get an outbreak of oral herpes cause you could end up transfering the virus to them like my mom did to me.
Hi Tiffany!
I took Valtrex the last 6 weeks of both of my pregnancies every day in order to suppress the virus OR keep it from showing itself during labor and delivery. In fact, I think that suppressive therapy is pretty standard for those that know that they have herpes during the last 6 weeks.
Hi Tatianna!
Oral Herpes outbreaks can take place anywhere in the oral facial area. The only way to know if the outbreaks around your nose were indeed herpes would be to have your doctor culture one of the sores and have it tested. Honestly, I don’t think that your oral herpes outbreak would hurt your baby since the baby is going to come down through the birth canal.. know what I mean?
it freaks me out to start taking valtrex. however , I read those comments and gave me a little relief. now, does anybody know if I can breastfeed my baby without any problems?
It never gets easier for me to tell a partner about my genital herpes. Some people are supportive, and some have run away. I find that more guys lately have not wanted to deal with it, thus making it harder for me to have to tell the next person. Does anybody have any tips on what i should say and when the appropriate time is? I hate even saying the word HERPES, it has such a stigma attached to it…
I had no idea that Valtrex was a Class “B” medication, I actually took a class “C” medication once when I was pregnant and it had no effect to my child, the doctor advised me that it would not.
I have been taking Valtrex for almost 2 years now, and was thinking of getting pregnant again, this makes me feel much better about it. Thanks !
Being on suppressive therapy won’t keep you from becoming pregnant.
My doctor did tell me that I would be taking Valtex during my pregnancy if I did decide to get pregnant. For those of you that have given birth did you have a vaginal birth or c-section? I’m still leary about having a vaginal birth.
And I’d like to know how did you conceive. Hope I’m not being too personal. My doctor mentioned the turkey baster method. Has anyone ever tried that or did you conceive naturally?
We conceived the good old fashioned way!! Lots of SEX!!
I went on suppressive therapy the last 6 weeks of both my pregnancies taking Valtrex and with both I had vaginal deliveries.
Everything turned out GREAT!!
Throw the Turkey Baster method out the window and have fun with your partner.. good grief!!
Approximately more than 50 million people in the US alone, are affected by HSV, Valtrex is in the FDA pregnancy category B wich means is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby, but acyclovir is in the category C which means that it is not known whether it will harm an unborn baby. ALWAYS talk with your doctor and follow all directions before taking any kind of medication
I’m pregnant, I have 10 days left until my due date (AUGUST 29TH!). About a week and a half ago I found out I have shingles, so my doctor told me to take a week’s supply of Valtrex, 3 times a day, and I have about 2 more days to go. I was wondering if I will be able to breastfeed, assuming the baby will be born on or after my due date? In other words, will the medicine be out of my system in time?
I think it’s great that your doctor has you taking Valtrex. This will help to keep you from having any episodes while going through labor and delivery.
You shouldn’t have any problems breast feeding. There have been no reports of Valtrex in breast milk having caused any harm to newborns.
If you still aren’t sure just ask your doctor about it, k?
Now go and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!! :)
Thanks for the comments everyone. I had my first outbreak 6 years ago and went through my last pregnancy with no outbreaks. I took acyclovir for the last few weeks of the pregnancy and did not have any problems during the delivery. I had a healthy boy vaginally. I had a bad outbreak after the delivery and my OBGYN said I could take acyclovir and it would not be passed onto the baby through my breastmilk.
I have not had many outbreaks since then and stopped taking the acyclovir, but now I am pregnant again (23 weeks) and I have a terrible outbreak. The doctor said it is safe to take acyclovir, so he prescribed me one week’s worth of medication. So far it is not helping much. My doctor has said that as soon as I am 36 weeks I will take the acyclovir everyday until delivery again. Each pregnancy is so different, but I am sure I will have another healthy boy. HSV does not have to ruin your life, you just have to take precautions to protect your baby.
Melanie! Thanks for sharing your positive feedback! Congratulations on your new baby-to-be! =]
I have herpes and my outbreaks come and go they come and last about 3-7 days but I got a outbreak like on august 28-2008 and it’s now october 3-2008 and it’s still here, I think I am pregnant because they say when u are pregnant the outbreaks come more often, but I took a pregnancy test and it was negetive. Im scared, If I am pregnant can my baby get it from actually being inside my womb, or only through the birthing canal
I thought you said that your pregnancy test was negative? Have you thought about going on suppressive therapy if you get a lot of outbreaks? Have you discussed any of this with your doctor? What did your doctor tell you?
I’m 24 week pregnant.right now im getting chickenpox.and my doctor told me to take a week’s supply of Valtrex 500mg x2, 3 times a day.
Oh that’s interesting.
Hang in there!
Congratulations on your pregnancy.
Remember, herpes zoster is in the herpes family but it’s not exactly the same as herpes simplex.
Now go enjoy your pregnancy! =]
Just wanted to say that being worried is perfectly normal. I am 36 weeks pregnant and I just started taking Valtrex. I am still concerned, not only about the Valtrex, but about the whole process. I have had genital herpes for ten years now and I wasn’t even sure I could have kids, but surprise, here I am with child. I will only be on the meds for approximately four weeks of my pregnancy. I am scheduled for a c-section, my choice, but my doctor put me on the meds because I don’t get lesions with my outbreaks. We would rather be safe than sorry. If he would perform a vaginal exam, it wouldn’t do any good. By the way, about four weeks ago I got a cold sore and a genital herpes outbreak (achy, feverish feeling in my vaginal area) that lasted around two weeks. I think the stress of being pregnant and worrying aided this affect. I wouldn’t worry. It seems as though many women have taken this during their pregnancy and everything turned out fine. Trust me, I’m concerned too. But I couldn’t see myself not taking the proper precautions for my child’s health. Best of luck to all women with this situation. LOL
So you are basically saying that you are choosing to have a c-section (major surgery) even though you are on suppressive therapy?
I am 34 weeks pregnant and have been advised to take the last 4 weeks supressive meds for herpes, i have had it for 6 yrs now so know the drug Acyclovir well, BUT I am very concerned about the LONG TERM effect on my baby and so is my partner. Can anyone give me any advice??? reassurance?? my docs have been very vaugue…… :-( HELP
There is no long term effect on the baby.
Enjoy your pregnancy and try not to worry, ok?
I know it’s easier said than done but you really do have much to look forward to.
Try and have a positive outlook.
I did take the three day course when I had an outbreak a few weeks ago and they made me feel quite sick, is this normal or should I ask to reduce the suppressive dose for my last 4 weeks?
What did your doctor tell you to do? Have you discussed any of this with your doctor? It’s ok to talk over these things with the doc. Come back and let us know how it works out after you do talk to your doctor, ok?
Hi I have herpes 1&2 So does my Fiance we been together 2yrs+ and I am 10weeks pregnant I have been on acyclavir since I found out I had herpes 2yrs ago since I been pregnant I stopped my medicine cause I didn’t think it was safe for my baby should I keep taking it or wait til around my delivery time?
When I was pregnant with both of my girls I didn’t take anything unless I was having an OB. My doc put me on suppressive therapy the last 6 weeks of both pregnancies. Everything turned out fine.
You really need to discuss all of this with your doctor so that you can come up with a game plan.
I’ve had herpes since my husband and I first starting dating ten months ago. I had gotten it from a previous relationship. He has been very supportive throughout the herpes by saying it’s okay and promised me that he wouldn’t love me any less and didn’t care if he got it because he knows we’ll be together forever. Now I’m 13 weeks pregnant and my doctor suggested I start taking it again. I’ve only taken it one other time and the outbreak was more severe. I’ve heard past responses on here saying it’s okay to take Valtrex 6 to 3 weeks towards the end of your pregnancy. I found an outbreak recently and my doctor suggested I take two daily for five days instead of the recommended once a day dose. Is that safe especially so early in my pregnancy? Has anyone here ever taken it this early and throughout? My husband and I are worried it could effect the health of our baby? It’s our first, by the way. So tension is very high with the health of our first born.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I think you should listen to your doctor. Your doctor has a lot more experience in these matters than you do, right?
If I was pregnant I would do what your doctor said and take the Valtrex to treat the outbreak. There is no reason you should have to suffer through an outbreak while you are pregnant. Treating only the outbreak until it’s time to go on suppressive therapy is fine. I think that is what your doctor is getting at, right?
Taking Valtrex, Famvir OR Acyclovir is not going to effect the health of your baby. Be sure you take the time to read my Herpes Biography.
BTW, congratulations on your first child! What an exciting time for you!
Well, does the Food And Drug Administration not know anything because that is where I got my information and not to mention my husband researched the information and read the Pharmacology and it does say that it causes birth defects and is a Red Flag and should not be taken by pregnant women that is what the FDA says and what is the main difference is that you should read your data first before even consulting a doctor because they are all on committees to promote product selling even if they say that there is no documentation on birth defects it still is not any reason to make a doctor look good!!!!!!!
First of all, there is nothing out there that indicates that Valtrex, Famvir or Acyclovir causes birth defects. Second of all, the entire purpose of suppressive therapy during the last six weeks of your pregnancy is to prevent herpes from rearing itself during the labor and delivery process. Your doctor is not going to suggest suppressive therapy for you during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy if he didn’t think it was the right thing to do to keep the virus suppressed. Also, it’s totally safe to treat an outbreak while you are pregnant which is why my doctor gave me the green light.
If you are THAT freaked out by everything and you seriously believe that your baby is going to be born with birth defects then discuss that with your doctor and make a decision based on those facts and conversation that you and your husband have with YOUR doctor.
There is absolutely no need for you to come on here and attempt to scare the crap out of every pregnant Mom out there that has herpes. There is no call for that whatsoever.
First of all, suppressive therapy means that not only is there definitive results relating to neurotransmitters in the brain in gratuity to the axiom of the formative relativity based on the product itself saying that: why cant you take cough medicine when you have a cold but you can take something that not only is a suppressive doing and having the same effects as alcohol does on the hemoglobin so you are just justifying the relative means of something to make yourself sound so smart with that word suppressive therapy not only not having any idea what that means but just to satisfy your own fears because you are evidently sure about what a doctor would say but someone who knows the research behind chemicals that can cause seizure disorders and damage the ultimate communicative responses in the brain causing speech impairments and such other problems relating to brain damage and this is not to scare anyone but if you are so sure about a doctor who literally is a physician and not directed to medicine and not keeping logged documentation on their patients then go ahead and take that risk to justify your mistakes from unprotected sex and your lack of knowledge so be it that your ignorance will be shown when you fail to follow the narrow path from a man made chemical. And this is Meredith’s husband who has researched all of this information front to back to ensure to the safety of our child thank you so much for your unbearable lack of education to sit here and argue about physics and chemistry and you have no idea what that entails. Goodbye to Ignorance.
Well, Meredith’s husband you are certainly the ignorant one. Don’t any of you pregnant women listen to him. You can make whatever choice you want to, but have you read what the risks are for not being on suppresive therapy and then running the chance of having an outbreak when delivering vaginally?
I was on suppressive therapy (Acyclovir) at the end of my 2nd pregnancy in 2005 and our son suffered no ill effects whatsoever. In fact his APGAR scores were near perfect and he is a happy, healthy 3 year old now.
I am now almost 35 weeks pregnant and my doctor just started me on acyclovir 400 mg 2x a day for suppressive therapy. I will keep everyone posted as to how my delivery goes. My best advice would be for any pregnant woman to listen to her doctor, do research online as to the risks involved with NOT taking the suppressive therapy. And if you have a controlling manipulative husband like Meredith’s try to stand up to him and you decide what’s best for your body, as well as for your child that is growing in your womb. My husband is completely supportive of my suppressive therapy and again we have experienced first hand that there are no side effects from taking the suppressive therapy.
I have also had outbreaks during the course of my pregnancy and two doctors, an advise nurse and the local pharmacist all said that taking the dosage that I was taking for my outbreaks would not cause birth defects. Educate yourself with the pros and cons, not just from one source, but from many. You will see that these medications are alot safer then the risk of delivering your child while having an outbreak.
Well, thank you very much for your inability to see the truth behind your stupidity and thinking that birth defects are so visible that you actually have no idea if your son or daughter has any defects but it sure sounds like you have some yourself so where did you get controlling from a simple concern for the regarding safety for our child and not to mention that the FDA says and agrees with my concerns and I do know the concerns associated with having a vaginal birth if in fact there is an outbreak but there are numbers of ways to stop that before the occurrence so thank you so much for being such a great example for being just in other words really stupid. Goodbye to stupidity!!!!!
I would like to start out by saying that by calling my husband ignorant is an insult to me as well. It was an immature response to the advice and knowledge he was giving. Whether or not you choose to believe it is up to you. I think it’s only wise to weigh your options when it comes to you and your baby’s health. Aspirin is no where near as strong as Valtrex and we aren’t allowed to take that during pregnancy. 6% chance of birth defects may seem small at first, but the risks increase with every dose. I’m not saying you shouldn’t treat the herpes virus, but there have to be better alternatives that don’t have risks of any kind involved. At first, I admit I went along with what my doctor said and didn’t listen to my husband which was a mistake because he was right all along. He went out of his way to call my doctor and she claimed that none of her patients have had birth defects or another complications of any kind, but she had no record to back up her statement. These types of doctors just use their patients to promote and sell their products that they really only know what they heard about from the companies that come and talk to them or send them information. And of course no popular drug company is going to incriminate themselves. Before I go any further I would also like to say that I have no problem with taking Valtrex when you are not pregnant. Anything you put in your body while you are pregnant is going to have some kind of effect on the baby whether it’s food, the required bills such as prenatal vitamins, DHA or folic acid. DHA promotes positive health and growth to the brain. My husband and I are not trying to scare any of you. We just want to inform you. Please do yourselves a favor and call the FDA and ask them for all the information they have on Valtrex as far as taking it during pregnancy or look it up online. Something that is approved by the FDA seems a lot more feasible than a doctor’s word. And Valtrex was not approved for pregnant women by the FDA. When it comes to the health of your baby it’s always understandable to desire and search for a second opinion. I know that you will all do what you believe is right, and so will I. All of this information from my husband and I was just to inform; not to ridicule.
Information from the FDA website:
levels.
Pregnancy: Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category B. Valacyclovir was not teratogenic
in rats or rabbits at 10 and 7 times human plasma levels, respectively, during the period of major
organogenesis.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of VALTREX or ZOVIRAX in pregnant
women. A prospective epidemiologic registry of acyclovir use during pregnancy was established
in 1984 and completed in April 1999. There were 749 pregnancies followed in women exposed
to systemic acyclovir during the first trimester of pregnancy resulting in 756 outcomes. The
occurrence rate of birth defects approximates that found in the general population. However, the
small size of the registry is insufficient to evaluate the risk for less common defects or to permit
reliable or definitive conclusions regarding the safety of acyclovir in pregnant women and their
developing fetuses. VALTREX should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit
justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
There’s your proof right there!
Meredith and Meredith’s husband. I don’t know why you came here to pop on and leave these sorts of comments. At first I thought you were interested in what other women with herpes have been through and how things have turned out for them. I also thought that you were interested in seriously doing legit homework and being open to what knowledgeable health care providers are doing for their pregnant patients with herpes. Obviously you have not been thorough enough with your research or you would have contacted a knowledgeable infectious disease specialist by now. Frankly, I don’t know why you bother making statements and asking questions if you don’t like the answers. Why don’t you pick up the telephone and give the University of Washington Laboratory a call. Maybe you can ask for Anna Wald. Surely she can do a much better job of explaining all of this to you.
For those Mom’s that are pregnant, that have herpes and are worried, do NOT listen to Meredith OR Meredith’s husband. They have absolutely NO idea what they are talking about.
You can have a perfectly healthy baby and via a vaginal delivery provided there are no other complications that would warrant a c-section. You do NOT have to have a c-section just because you have herpes.
I have brochures about this very topic. I would be happy to mail you one if you want one to read for yourself. Send me your mailing address and I will pop it in the mail for you. In the meantime you are more than welcome to read my Herpes Biography and that should help to calm any fears that you might have. Just make sure that your doctor actually knows what they are talking about and that they have up-to-date information about herpes.
From the Herpes Resource Center:
1.) It is rare for infants to contract herpes.
2.) Twenty percent to 25 percent of pregnant women have genital herpes.
3.) Less than 0.1 percent of babies contract genital herpes.
4.) A mother helps the baby by passing her antibodies to the infant during pregnancy.
5.) Women who acquire genital herpes before becoming pregnant have a low risk of passing the virus to their baby.
6.) A woman who contracts genital herpes during the third trimester of pregnancy is at a higher risk of passing herpes to the baby because she has not had time to build up antibodies to the virus.
7.) Most mothers with genital herpes have normal vaginal deliveries.
8.) The doctor should do a thorough visual exam at the onset of labor.
9.) If a woman has symptoms at the time of delivery, a Caesarean section is recommended.
10.) If an infant does contract herpes during delivery, the symptoms tend to show within two to three weeks after birth.
11.) Herpes can be life threatening to an infant, but medication may help prevent or reduce the lasting damage to an infant if treated early.
12.) After birth, herpes can be passed to a baby by receiving a kiss from someone with a cold sore on the mouth (oral herpes).
From the Westover Heights Clinic:
Pregnancy
Genital herpes is of particular concern to pregnant women. Certainly, women with herpes can have healthy, normal children. However, some special problems may arise with pregnancy and genital herpes.
Ideally, type-specific antibody testing is done during the pregnancy to determine who in the relationship has herpes and who does not. Blood is drawn around 20 weeks of gestation. If the mother is positive for HSV 2, even if she has never had symptoms, precautions should be taken at the end of pregnancy and at the time of delivery to protect the baby. These precautions include suppressive therapy from 36 weeks until delivery, avoiding the use of scalp electrodes for fetal monitoring during labor, avoiding premature rupture of membranes, and performing a c-section if an outbreak is present in the boxer shorts area at the time of delivery. The likelihood of a newborn contracting herpes in these circumstances is very small. For the woman with established genital herpes going into the pregnancy, the risk of neonatal herpes is about 1 in 5,500 deliveries.
If the mother’s blood test shows that she is antibody negative for HSV 2, then optimally, her partner is tested for antibody. If the father of the baby is HSV 2 positive and the mother is HSV 2 negative, precautions should be taken so the mother doesn’t get infected with HSV 2 in the third trimester of the pregnancy. A primary outbreak in the last trimester of pregnancy puts mother and baby at a greater risk for a premature delivery and at much greater risk of infecting the baby at birth. Women who contract herpes during late pregnancy who have NOT had an opportunity to make antibody before delivery have a 30-50% chance of infecting their babies. Couples in this situation should avoid intercourse in the third trimester. If that is not workable, then the infected male partner should be placed on daily suppression and condoms should be used without exception during intercourse.
If the mother’s blood test shows that she is antibody negative for HSV 1 and 2, and her partner’s blood test shows infection with HSV 1 only, and the partner has ever had a cold sore, then the partner should not give oral sex to the mother during the third trimester. New HSV 1 genital infection during the third trimester can result in transmission to the baby and is very serious. If the partner tests positive for HSV 1, the mother is negative for HSV 1 and 2, and the site of the partner’s HSV 1 infection is unknown, abstaining from both oral sex and intercourse during the third trimester is the safest course of action.
The major concern about herpes and pregnancy is that a baby may become infected with herpes virus if it passes through the birth canal when herpes virus is there. Even if antibodies to the herpes virus are transferred from mother to baby during pregnancy, the antibodies are not adequate to completely protect all babies against infection. Newborns do not have an immune system that is capable of dealing with herpes, and they can become very sick or die from herpes infections.
A woman who falls into one of the following categories should be followed carefully during her pregnancy and delivery:
1) A woman who has a history of having genital herpes or who recently acquired the disease, or
2) A woman whose sexual partner has herpes infection (genital or oral herpes, if the partner gives oral sex to the mother).
This information can be scary for all pregnant women and especially for women who have known genital herpes. But sharing information openly with OB clinicians will almost always result in safe deliveries and healthy babies.
Newborns should not be exposed directly to cold sores. If the mother has a cold sore at the time of delivery, she should avoid kissing her baby until the cold sore has healed. The same is true for all other people with cold sores who are around a newborn. Some women are concerned about breast-feeding and herpes. If the mother has no breast herpes lesions, she may certainly breast feed the baby.
I don’t think any of you are grasping the whole concept of research by the FDA. The Food and Drug Administration which has more authority and knowledge than any doctor. I’m sorry you aren’t more concerned or aware of the risks you are putting your patients through. The FDA wouldn’t warn pregnant of the risks if they didn’t care about them and the health of their baby. We care too. That’s why we are providing everyone here with this type of information. We care about everyone on here otherwise we wouldn’t bother discussing this with anyone and just let them harm their baby. I was more than willing to use Valtrex in the first place, but now that I know the true risks I choose to not take it because of the health of our baby. I should also address that most doctors tell you what you want to hear so you can rest easy and not think about any risks when truly any mother in their right mind should worry. I worry about all of you because you seem to believe more ideals than facts.
No, the Food and Drug Administration does not have more authority over the experts in the field.
I don’t believe that you have bothered to discuss any of this with an infectious disease specialist. I also don’t believe that you have bothered to do a little bit more reading from more good resources. The FDA is not the begin all end all with all things herpes related.
Everybody’s situation is different and I don’t appreciate you coming on MY blog and fighting with us about it. It’s you that are in the situation that you are in and it’s up to you to do what you think is best for YOUR situation. It’s not your job to come on here and tell me that my experiences with herpes is wrong.
I have two beautiful healthy girls. I had herpes before I become pregnant with them both and my doctor was fully aware that I had herpes. We made the right decisions for me and for both my girls to keep from having viral activity during labor and delivery. It was totally worth it (for me as well as other women) to go on suppressive therapy during the last 6 weeks of our pregnancies to PROTECT our unborn babies who were were also sharing our antibodies with.
Nobody has harmed their babies. That is what you don’t seem to understand. It’s NOT your job to come on here and incite fear into those that have no idea about herpes and pregnancy (you included).
It’s your job to do what you think is best based on what you believe is true for you. It’s not your job to come on here and tell us that our experiences are wrong because you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about when it comes to what we know and what we have personally already been through.
If anybody out there would like me to send you a herpes and pregnancy brochure, I will be more than happy to do that, just shoot me an e-mail. I also have them on word format if you would prefer that I e-mail it to you as an attachment.
Merry Christmas you guys!
Everyone has a right to freedom of speech to voice their beliefs. Whether or not we agree isn’t what matters. Nate and I feel more comfortable with our choices just as you feel more comfortable with yours. I just think it’s better to see all aspects of Valtrex whether or not you agree with it or not is up to you. Like I have mentioned before I am all for taking Valtrex while you are not pregnant. I still worry that you could put a helpless fetus at risk. Again that is my belief. If this is the battle of research information then be my guest. I’ve said all I need to with just one article. That is all that needed to be said in my part. I am just meaning to inform you all not to scare you into doing something you don’t believe in. It’s totally up to the individual and a personal choice on their own behalf. Everyone does things that others may not approve of. You just have to learn to except. I haven learned a lot blogging on this site. Everyone looks at different aspects of a product. It’s vitally important to look at as much information on anything in your body. I am more than willing to be open-minded about your beliefs as long as you promise to do the same. Whether or not we believe the opposing side is not the idea, but to just understand each other differences and except one another regardless. We may not agree, but we shouldn’t be at each others throats because of it. Sorry for any past misunderstandings.
Have a good day!
LMAO!! I’m comforted by the fact that those two are going to RELAX with their second child! LOL
Meredith and your husband, you came here to ask a question then IMMEDIATELY started on your tirade which makes me question your intentions. If our ignorance and stupidity ‘insults’ you so much, find another blog. Pretty simple, I think.
I’ve had TWO perfectly healthy children after contracting herpes WHILE taking Acyclovir throughout the pregnancies and they were BOTH delivered via C-Section but for reasons other than herpes.
If you don’t learn how to relax now, the harm you will do to your baby is by experiencing an early delivery because you are so flippin’ worked up about this.
Meredith – you and Nate can do whatever you want to. If suppressive therapy during the last six weeks of your pregnancy is not for you and you don’t care about suppressing the virus during labor and delivery OR a c-section even then knock yourselves out. Talk to your doctor and tell your doctor that you want a c-section.
As for the rest of the hundreds and thousands of women that have herpes that have been on suppressive therapy and have had vaginal deliveries, please don’t attempt to make it seem as if we are not or have not thought of our own children. Nobody has put their unborn child at risk by going on suppressive therapy the last 6 weeks of their pregnancy.
It is so clear that you guys are totally new to these unfamiliar waters.. cling to whatever you think will make you feel better but do not put the rest of us down for staying on top of the latest information pertaining to herpes and pregnancy. Don’t even talk to me or any of the rest of us about it – talk to your doctor. If having a c-section (major surgery) is going to make YOU feel better and you feel that THAT is the best for YOUR baby – then GO FOR IT.