Herpes is a common health issue which can infect both children and adults. There are some triggers which can activate the inactive virus which are already existing in some people’s body. Herpes causes severe pain and itching in the form of watery blisters. These blisters might be located around the mouth or the genital. This disease is definitely and easily contagious. Direct contacts are likely to transfer herpes from one person to another. Thus, women are concerned about the relation between herpes and pregnancy. Should they give up a plan to have children because they are infected with a genital herpes? Could this herpes be transferred into the baby? If so, is this herpes dangerous?

Herpes and pregnancy

Should you are suffering from genital herpes, you obviously do not have to give up your pregnancy plan. Herpes is contagious, yet this virus transfer commonly happens during severe outbreak. Herpes virus might exist in our body without showing any visible symptoms. This is because the virus is inactive and only resides in our nerve system without causing any harms. When the virus is triggered by high stress level, sunlight exposure, and hormonal changes, this becomes activated and may cause outbreak. Newborn baby can be infected with herpes when the mother has an active herpes simplex virus. Herpes infection in the womb is quite unusual and rare, since most herpes cases are contagious through direct contacts between skins. Babies are more likely to be infected with herpes through a direct contact with mother or other person with active simplex virus.

Can your baby get herpes in the womb?

A newborn baby can possibly get infected with herpes if the mother has an active genital herpes outbreak. When a pregnant mother gives birth to a baby during inactive period of herpes, this baby might be safe from herpes infection. However, an active outbreak is quite risky, since it may transmit the disease easily through the contact made between the mother and the baby during delivery. Active genital herpes outbreak is contagious from a mother to her baby through a normal delivery. This is because a normal delivery will require the newborn baby to have a direct contact with the active blisters on mother’s genital. While herpes infection in the womb is very rare, an infection through a normal process of delivery is quite possible. A herpes caught by a baby in the womb might causes eye disease, such as retina inflammation, skin sores, and brain damage.

If the mother catches herpes in the early pregnancy, the baby is likely to be safe, since the mother’s body should have built a combating antibody against herpes which can also protect the baby. However, when herpes is caught in the later trimester, the baby might be in a higher risk of being infected with this herpes virus.it means that normal birth gives a possibility of herpes transmission between mother and baby.

What should be done if I catch herpes during pregnancy?

Herpes might be dangerous when transmitted to a newborn baby. This rare condition is called a neonatal herpes. This herpes affects the baby soon or within days after delivery. A baby suffering from a neonatal herpes might develop some symptoms, such as fluid-filled blisters, low body temperature, breathing difficulties, and poor feeding. This can commonly be treated with intravenous antiviral medicines.

In order to avoid transferring herpes to your newborn, you might want to be more cautious to the pregnancy and your former herpes outbreak, if any. Before and during pregnancy, you should avoid those things which are likely to trigger the herpes, especially if you have experienced former outbreaks. Always wash your hands after any contacts with the fluid-filled blisters you have during outbreak. Safer sexual practices are also needed to be considered, in order to avoid the mother from catching genital herpes. It is also important that a person caring for a newborn baby keeps her hygiene and wear a surgical mask when doing contact with baby’s skin. A person with cold sore should not come in contact with a newborn and all people should wash the hands thoroughly before having contact with the baby. If you catch the herpes and experience outbreak during the last trimester of pregnancy, when your body has stopped producing antibody for your baby, it is advisable to consider having a C-section birth instead of spontaneous one. It is important that you talk to the doctor about this, because C-section has less risks of transmitting genital herpes compared to a normal delivery which requires vaginal contact with the baby. You might also take an antiviral medication to inhibit the herpes from multiplying. Acyclovir is one of the effective herpes remedy which is safe to be consumed moderately during pregnancy.