Genital Herpes and Pregnancy

Herpes is an active long-term infection (that is why it is called a sexually transmitted infections STI), that can affect your body and health in a variety of ways, including both your ability to get pregnant and sustain a pregnancy to give birth to a healthy fulltime infant.

The facts surrounding genital herpes and pregnancy can sometimes be confusing to understand because there are so many differing options circulating within the medical community. 

While it is generally understood that a baby will not contract the disease during delivery if no open sores or blisters are present, most doctors still recommend a C-section for the safety of the baby.  This can leave many women confused about how their herpes can and will affect their pregnancy and unborn baby.

Let’s start with what we do know: herpes does not seem to affect fertility in the least.  Other than the fact that it can delay a couple’s efforts in trying to conceive during an outbreak (when the couple must abstain from sexually intercourse), research indicates that it does not seem to cross over into other reproductive areas.

There is no evidence to support claims that it can lower a man’s sperm count or a woman’s ability to conceive in the first place. It does, however, offer some unique problems in regards to conception and pregnancy.  The biggest being what we already discussed: times of sexually abstaining due to an outbreak of the virus. This can leave some couple’s trying for months to get pregnant due to a lack of availability.

The second factor that must be considered when dealing with herpes and pregnancy is the chance of the baby contracting the disease during delivery. In most cases, the doctor will suggest that the mother undergo a C-section even if she is asymptomatic because of the slight chance that the virus could be undergoing viral shedding at the time of delivery.

Viral shedding is a period of time in which the virus reproduces itself and becomes just as contagious as it can be during an active outbreak. The problem is, there is no way to know when this viral shedding is occurring (it shows no signs and has no symptoms). Even a doctor can not tell you when viral shedding is occurring and there are no tests to check for it. 

Since a baby will likely contract the herpes disease during delivery if there is any sort of viral shedding or active outbreak, many doctors prefer to use caution and perform a C-section for the health and safety of the baby.  Others, however, may agree to a vaginal birth as long as no sores or blisters are detected wither in the genital area or deep within the vagina.

Why the difference I opinion?  Some researchers believe that taking such precautions (even during an active outbreak) are unnecessary because the mother passes along antibodies to her baby via her bloodstream throughout the pregnancy, making the baby immune to the herpes virus during and after the delivery. Still more research is needed in this area to ensure that a baby is not put at risk of the virus due to these antibodies.

There are two exceptions to be aware of in regards to the dangers of genital herpes and pregnancy:

1. When the first herpes episode is experienced in the first trimester of pregnancy. This is when the virus is strongest and can cause miscarriage.
2. When the first herpes episode experienced in the third trimester of pregnancy. In this case, the baby has not had the time to develop the proper antibodies and resistance to the virus, in which case neonatal herpes may develop, which can result in infant death or stillborn at delivery.

Of course for either of these scenarios to happen, the mother would have to contract the disease during her pregnancy and exhibit symptoms (and active attack) during the first or last weeks of the pregnancy; which is rare indeed.  Women who have already been herpes victims prior to their pregnancy, these two scenarios are not something to worry about.

In short, genital herpes does not have to adversely affect your pregnancy or the health of your baby.  As long as you understand any risks that may entail and take the necessary steps to improve your chances of a good outlook your baby should be just fine. Talk to your doctor about what precautions he/she recommends during delivery and report any active outbreaks immediately to eliminate any concerns for the health and well being of either yourself or your baby.

For more detailed information about genital herpes and pregnancy, contact the Herpes Hotline at 919-361-8488 or the CDC Hotline at 1-800-232-4636.  They can give you the most up to date information about herpes and pregnancy.

Can You Get Rid of Herpes

Herpes is a virus that stays within your system for a lifetime. Once you contract it, it never leaves your body.  Sure, it may seem to go away for weeks, months or even years without its victim experiencing any of its uncomfortable symptoms. Lying dormant. Herpes seems to disappear, but eventually, as its victims know all-too-well the virus will become active again and a painful outbreak will occur.

With no known cure for either the Herpes Simplex I (mouth sores) virus or the Herpes Simplex II (genital herpes) viruses, those who are inflicted with the disease look to all sorts of places for help.  This leaves many people trying a multitude of homeopathic and traditional remedies to stave off an attack.  Some treatments work better than others.  A few patients have even reported being symptom free for ten years or more, making some experts asking the question, “can you get rid of herpes once and for all?”

Most researchers agree that while no, you can not rid your body of the actual virus (it tends to lay quietly dormant during non asymptomatic times), you can get rid of many of the herpes symptoms for long periods of time if you are careful. That is to be confused with curing the disease, which means it actually leaves your system; but handling the disease to stave off repeated attacks.

Herpes is a viral infection that goes through periods of active outbreaks of open sores and blisters. These sores are usually found either on or around the mouth and lips (as in the case of Herpes Simplex I) or the genitals and sex organs (as in the case of Herpes Simplex II), followed by periods of dormancy when no visible symptoms may be present in the patient for long periods of time.  It is during this dormancy period that most people mistakenly think that their herpes has gone away. Research shows that it hasn’t.  What herpes is very good at is hiding.

Eventually, the immune system will become weakened and the herpes infection/virus will come alive once again, thriving in this new weakened environment, causing another blister outbreak.  So, what makes herpes become active after such a long period of dormancy? NO one knows for sure but there are a lot of theories regarding this phenomenon.

It has been shown that any illness can weaken the immune system giving it the chance to thrive.  Stress too, is a big herpes activator.  Patients are encouraged to adopt a stress free life as possible to eliminate outbreaks.

While there are both prescription medications and homeopathic remedies to help treat herpes outbreaks and even strengthen the immune system to help keep outbreaks at a minimum, one of the best ways to prevent the disease from attacking is to keep your immune system as strong as possible.  This is done by being diligent about:

• Your Diet:  Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats to keep your body and immune system healthy.  Avoid mono-saturated fats, alcohol sweet drinks and refined sugars and carbohydrates. Processed foods should be avoided and enriched white rice, flour and other products should be replaced with whole grains.

• Your Sleep Patterns:  Be sure to get enough sleep (at least 8 hours per night) to ensure that your body has the time it needs to rejuvenate itself. Sleep is a great time for every cell in your body to work to repair damage to itself and when you do not get enough sleep your immune system does not have the time to release important hormones needed for health and strength at battling all sorts of illnesses, including herpes.

• Avoid Stressful Situations:  Keep your home and family life calm; avoid making too many commitments and choose your job wisely.  Stress can activate herpes and cause multiple outbreaks every year.

The immune system is an amazing system. It ahs everything the body needs to fight off disease and repair the body when threatened. Your immune system is designed to protect you from disease, but when stressed or weakened it can actually work against you, allowing a virus or infection like Herpes Simplex I & II to gain strength.

For more ways on dealing with herpes and keeping outbreaks at a minimum, be sure to talk to your doctor. There are plenty of ways to get rid of herpes symptoms if you are careful and diligent and take care of your body. The key to success is understanding how this virus works within the body and taking good care of yourself to strip it of its power and strength.