- It is rare for infants to contract herpes.
- Twenty percent to 25 percent of pregnant women have genital herpes.
- Less than 0.1 percent of babies contract genital herpes.
- A mother helps the baby by passing her antibodies to the infant during pregnancy.
- Women who acquire genital herpes before becoming pregnant have a low risk of passing the virus to their baby.
- A woman who contracts genital herpes during the third trimester of pregnancy is at a higher risk of passing herpes to the baby because she has not had time to build up antibodies to the virus.
- Most mothers with genital herpes have normal vaginal deliveries.
- The doctor should do a thorough visual exam at the onset of labor.
- If a woman has symptoms at the time of delivery, a Caesarean section is recommended.
- If an infant does contract herpes during delivery, the symptoms tend to show within two to three weeks after birth.
- Herpes can be life threatening to an infant.
- Medication may help prevent or reduce the lasting damage to an infant if treated early.
- After birth, herpes can be passed to a baby by receiving a kiss from someone with a cold sore on the mouth(oral herpes).
If You're Pregnant and You Have Herpes:
- Talk with your doctor or health care provider.
- Be examined at labor to see if there are any symptoms.
- Notify the doctor if you think you have symptoms during labor.
If You're Pregnant and Your Partner Has Herpes:
- It is important to avoid contracting herpes during pregnancy.
- Using condoms for sexual activity and not having sex while symptoms are present will reduce the risk of transmission.
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