Herpes During Pregnancy

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection. Symptoms can include painful sores in the genital area, itching, painful urination, vaginal discharge and tender lumps in the groin. During the first outbreak (called primary herpes), some people experience flu-like symptoms such as body aches, fever and headache. Most people who have herpes infection will have outbreaks of sores and symptoms from time to time. Some women have herpes only on the cervix. In this case, there may be few or no symptoms with an outbreak.

There isn't a cure for herpes. Babies born to mothers who have an active genital herpes infection at or near the time of delivery can become infected. This can cause brain damage, blindness of even death in newborns.

If you have genital herpes and are considering pregnancy or are pregnant, be sure to tell your doctor. He or she may give you an antiviral medicine so you will be less likely to have a herpes outbreak at or near the time you deliver your baby. If you do have an outbreak of genital herpes at the time of delivery, your doctor will most likely deliver your baby by cesarean section. With a cesarean section, the risk of giving herpes to your baby is small.

If you have your first genital herpes outbreak during pregnancy, you should tell your doctor. Your doctor may want to treat you with an 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 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 he is not currently experiencing an outbreak. If there are visible sores, avoid having sex completely until the sores have healed.