Keeping Newborn and Unborn Infants Safe from Herpes

Thursday, October 09 2008

Since genital herpes is an incurable condition, you can pass it on to others for the rest of your life once you acquire the virus. The worst part about this is that your unborn infant can contract genital herpes from you, whether you’re pregnant now or if you get pregnant later. But there are some things you should know about being pregnant while having herpes. There are even ways to protect your unborn infant if you take the proper precautions. Here are some facts that can help you make the right decisions for yourself and your family.

Risks of Genital Herpes and Pregnancy

If you have genital herpes and you get pregnant, it’s essential to tell your physician at your first prenatal appointment. Even if you think you have the condition, your doctor needs to know so they can test you for it and take the proper prenatal precautions. Most moms-to-be and prenatal doctors are concerned about passing genital herpes on through the birthing process, but this is fairly rare. Only about 1,500 newborns are affected by genital herpes through birth each year. That’s still a large number and a high risk, but that just means that the condition isn’t always passed on when giving birth.

In some cases, though, moms can transfer the virus to her unborn child through the placenta if she contracts genital herpes while she’s pregnant. If she’s never had the herpes virus before, the risk of passing it on increases greatly before the child is even born. The virus can cause birth defects and even miscarriage if contracted during the first trimester. If the mother contracts the virus later than the first three months, the chances of a premature birth increases as well.

Contracting Herpes after Birth

Just because you didn’t pass on the herpes virus to your infant during the birthing process, it’s still not out of the woods. In fact, about five percent of newborn herpes cases happen after birth, but it can be just as serious as contracting the disease during birth. Fortunately, there are simple ways to prevent this from happening, including the following:

• Don’t allow anybody with cold sores to hold the baby or even get too close to the baby. Infants can easily contract the disease even through minimal contact and it can be extremely dangerous for newborns. You might hurt somebody’s feelings, but they should understand your concern.
• Ask people to wash their hands before holding or touching your baby. It’s possible that they may have come in contact with an infected person recently and could pass on the virus without even knowing it. Also, make sure to wash your own hands frequently as you can pass on the virus from hand to mouth.
• If you currently have a herpes outbreak, be sure to cover the cold sores and affected area with clothes or a blanket. If the cold sores come in contact with your newborn, you could easily pass it on to the baby.
• Typically, you can still breastfeed your newborn even if you have an outbreak. However, it’s unsafe to do so if you have cold sores or lesions on your breast. Be sure to cover any other infected areas and wash your hands before you breastfeed, too.
• Wearing a surgical mask during your herpes outbreaks is an added precaution to keep your newborn baby from contracting the virus.
• If you suffer from frequent herpes outbreaks, try to get a prescription for one of the many antiviral medications that suppress the symptoms. You can get a prescription through your physician or visit Viamedic.com to talk to a licensed health professional. You can get a topical cream like Denavir or a once-daily medication like Valtrex to minimize the symptoms or even prevent outbreaks from occurring.

The Effects of Herpes on a Newborn

If your infant contracts herpes as a newborn or during the birthing process, they can suffer a variety of consequences. Nearly 50 percent of the time, the baby’s eyes, skin and mouth are adversely affected by the virus. They can contract sores right away or even several weeks later. With proper treatment, some babies can still develop normally. However, some infected infants show long-term outbreaks and other problems if left untreated or if it’s not taken care of promptly. Unfortunately, about one-third of the infants that contract the virus suffer from central nervous system problems which cause fevers, feeding problems and even seizures. Others suffer from severely affected organs. Many infants die from serious complications caused by herpes each year.

The herpes virus is nothing to take lightly when it has the possibility of affecting an infant or unborn child. Always let your prenatal physician know of any concerns you have so you can get the latest and most accurate information concerning precautions and prevention. With any luck, your newborn infant can live a long and healthy life despite your herpes condition.