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Genital herpes infection during pregnancy
If this infection appears for the first time during pregnancy, it is important to keep a close eye on it. There is no specific treatment for herpes and treatment to reduce the severity of the symptoms is all that is normally given.
If there is evidence of the infection involving other organs, then the antiviral medication acyclovir may have to be administered, to moderate the course of the disease.
Recurrent genital herpes in pregnancy
Once herpes infection is acquired, it will remain for life. If herpetic genital lesions reappear during pregnancy, it is just a repeat manifestation of the old infection and no specific measures are usually called for. Only symptomatic treatment will be required.
If the woman is prone to recurrent painful lesions, she could be put on antiviral medication such as acyclovir to suppress these until around 36 weeks of gestation.
Genital herpes and risk of miscarriage or preterm labor
Yes; indirectly. If it is a primary infection, and if it affects the rest of the body, it could provoke uterine activity. This may lead to miscarriage or preterm delivery. Attempts will be made to prevent preterm delivery if uterine activity is noted, as long as there are no contraindications to doing this.
Genital herpes and vaginal delivery
Genital herpes will influence mode of delivery only if there are active lesions at the time.
If there are no active lesions when she goes into labor, then the aim will be for
a vaginal delivery -
If there are active lesions, then delivery is made by cesarean section, the aim being
to protect the baby from picking up the infection, something that can be lethal for
the new-
Incidence of neonatal herpes
There are no firm figures on the incidence of neonatal herpes. In the USA, it is estimated that between 1000 and 3000 cases occur every year. This is out of 4 million births with approximately 1 in 5 of pregnant woman carrying the virus. The complication is therefore not that common.
However, vigilance remains paramount because, even though rare, neonatal herpes is
a very serious complication. At least half of all affected babies suffer some form
of damage, usually permanent. This could be mental retardation or some form of neurological
damage. Some babies die. That is in spite of intensive anti-