Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the herpes simplex virus, either HSV-1 or HSV-2. Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. There are currently about 45 million cases of herpes in the US today but the good news is that the number of people contracting herpes has decreased in the last 10 years.
Unfortunately, women are more affected by herpes than men. About one in four women and one in eight men have HSV. Contracting herpes not only affects the woman, but can have several effects on her pregnancy and the baby.
How Can Herpes Affect Pregnancy?
If an expectant mother contracts herpes during pregnancy, it can be a significant threat to her baby. If a mother has her first herpes outbreak during her first trimester, she has a higher risk of miscarriage.
The risk of a baby becoming infected with HSV is highest if the mother is near the end of her pregnancy (after 32 weeks) and lowest if a mother has recurrent herpes. However the threat of herpes to a baby's health is very real. There is a 60% risk of death if the baby becomes infected with HSV.
How Can Herpes Affect Childbirth?
Expectant mothers will be advised to keep an eye out for signs and symptoms of a herpes outbreak around the time of childbirth. If the mother does have an active outbreak or lesion when she goes into labor, most providers recommend performing a cesarean to avoid risk of transmission of HSV to the baby.
If a pregnant woman contracted herpes before pregnancy and does not have any visible outbreaks during her pregnancy, in most cases, she will be able to have a vaginal birth safely without causing her baby to become infected.
What Can Mothers do if They Have Herpes During Pregnancy?
It is important to know that there is no known cure for herpes. However a popular treatment for HSV is antiviral medication.
Antiviral medications such as acyclovir are often prescribed to reduce the length of outbreaks or even prevent them during the time the medication is being taken. However, the safety of taking antiviral medications during pregnancy has not been proven. It is always a good idea to talk to your own care provider about their recommendations for antiviral medications if you have herpes during your pregnancy.
Acyclovir also passes from mother to baby during breastfeeding so it is generally not recognized as a safe treatment for herpes for breastfeeding mothers.
References:
www.cdc.gov
Lowdermilk, Perry, Bobak, Maternity and Women's Health Care, Seventh Edition, Mosby, Inc. 200
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