Take Care of Yourself –
and Your Baby

Pregnant with herpes

If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, you’ll be reassured to know that the risk of a mother giving the virus to her baby is rare. Less than 1 in several thousand babies becomes infected, despite the fact that 1 in every 5 North Americans has genital herpes.^1,2

If an infant is infected with the herpes virus, it is most likely transmitted when the baby comes in contact with the virus during delivery.³ The fact that you have herpes reduces the risk of transmission to your baby, because your immune system has already produced antibodies against the virus. These antibodies are, in turn, passed on to your baby, providing natural protection at the time of delivery.¹ The risk of infection can be further minimized but your physician must be aware that you have genital herpes, so that appropriate measures can be taken to protect your baby.

See your physician if you have genital herpes and want to become or think you are pregnant.

What to expect.
Like any other mother-to-be, you want to look after the health of your baby by keeping yourself healthy too. This is particularly important for pregnant women with genital herpes. Knowing your triggers (see Managing outbreaks) and keeping your immune system healthy with adequate rest, exercise and a well-balanced diet with all help to keep you and your baby healthy throughout your pregnancy. It is important that you see your physician throughout your pregnancy and discuss what you can be doing to most effectively manage genital herpes – including the option of suppressive therapy with an oral antiviral medication at the appropriate time in your pregnancy.

When labour begins, your doctor will want to examine you carefully to check for any signs of a genital herpes outbreak. This examination may include your outer genitals, vaginal opening, cervix, perineum , anus, thighs and buttocks. After birth, your baby will be closely examined as well.

You can help your doctor by telling him or her about any prodromal signs you may be feeling (such as tingling, itching and burning) and where you feel them. By becoming familiar with your symptoms and by knowing the areas where your outbreaks usually occur, you can provide important information that will enable your doctor to monitor you more closely.

What to expect at the time of delivery.
If you have an outbreak when it’s time to deliver your doctor will likely perform a Caesarian section . If you have a sore or any prodomal symptoms, a Caesarian delivery makes it less likely that the baby will come in contact with the virus.

If there are no signs or symptoms of an outbreak when it’s time to deliver, your doctor will most likely recommend a normal vaginal delivery. With no evidence of the herpes virus being active, the risk to your baby is very small.¹

References

1. Sacks S. The Truth About Herpes. 4th Ed., 1997. Gordon Soules Book Publishing Ltd. 2. Aoki FY. Canadian Guidelines on Sexually Transmitted Infections 2006 Edition; Genital Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infections. Public Health Agency of Canada http://phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/sti_2006/pdf/sti2006_e.pdf. Accessed May 15, 2006. 3. Jerome KR, Ashley RL (2003). Herpes Simplex Viruses and Herpes B Virus. In: Manual of Clinical Microbiology. Murray PR, Baron EJ, Pfaller MA, et al. Eds., 8th ed., ASM Press, Washington, D.C.:1291-1303. 4. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/diseases-maladies/herpes_e.html