Can I Have Kids If I Have Herpes

Can You Give Birth Naturally If You Have Herpes

Most people with herpes can have a vaginal birth. A doctor can test the skin for signs of herpes shortly before the birth. If a person shows signs of infection, doctors may recommend a C-section to lower the risk of transmitting the infection to the baby.

C-sections lower this risk by delivering the baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. This prevents them from contracting the virus in the birth canal.

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A Mother Can Infect Her Baby Herpes

The risk of infecting the baby is high when a woman is newly infected late in pregnancy, however. That’s because the mother’s immune system has not developed protective antibodies against the virus.

Women with an older herpes infection have antibodies against the virus, which help protect the baby.If a woman had genital herpes before getting pregnant, or if she is first infected early in pregnancy, the chance that her baby will be infected is very low — less than 1%.

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Can You Donate Blood If On Thyroid Medication

Thyroid disease Patients with thyroid disease may not donate if the condition is under investigation or if malignancy is suspected. Anyone on maintenance therapy with levothyroxine must be stabilised for at least three months before donation. An over- or an underactive thyroid increases the risk of heart disease.

How Can You Prevent Your Baby From Getting Herpes

While no method can guarantee the prevention of a fetus or baby from acquiring an infection, a person can lower the risk by:

• taking antiviral medications a doctor prescribes toward the end of pregnancy
• having a C-section birth if doctors think there is a high risk of a baby contracting an infection during natural childbirth
• stopping breastfeeding if they notice a sore on or around the nipple, until they can have an HSV test
• covering active cold sores and washing their hands regularly
• avoiding kissing a baby until a cold sore has completely healed

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How Do I Talk With People About Having Herpes

It might feel scary to admit you have herpes, but talking about things can really ease your mind. You could lean on a close, non-judgmental friend that you trust to keep the conversation private. Parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and other family members can also be a source of comfort. Remember, herpes is really common, so its possible the person youre talking to has herpes, too.

There are a lot of online support groups for people who have herpes, and the American Sexual Health Association has a list of support groups that meet in person.

What Are The Warning Signs In Babies

Because newborn babies have underdeveloped immune systems, they can quickly become seriously ill after catching the virus.

• is lethargic or irritable
• has a rash or sores on the skin, eyes and inside the mouth

These are early warning signs that your baby may be unwell.

• is lacking in energy
• is becoming floppy and unresponsive
• is difficult to wake up from sleep
• has breathing difficulties or starts grunting
• breathes rapidly
• has a blue tongue and skin if they have brown or black skin this may be easier to see on their lips, tongue and gums, under their nails and around their eyes

Very often the baby will not have any specific herpes symptoms, such as a rash.

But they can become unwell very quickly, so you need to act fast.

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Diagnosing And Treating Herpes

Genital herpes is diagnosed through various types of tests that vary in accuracy it is best to consult with a physician knowledgeable with sexually transmitted infections. It is possible to have a false negative, which is yet another reason why protection is always important when engaging in sex a person can also pass along the infection even if there is no visible evidence that it is active.

There is no cure nor vaccine for herpes, but it can usually be managed with the use of antiviral medications. Partners can also agree to get tested for infection before they begin having sex. The herpes blisters can be uncomfortable. They can be treated with topical ointments or oral medication and usually clear up completely in five to seven days.

It is important to avoid sexual contact until a week after the lesions disappear. Asymptomatic shedding of the virus may occur and hence there is a subsequent risk of transmission. Asymptomatic shedding tends to occur during the first year, the risks are much lesser over time. Although chronic psychological morbidity may have an adverse effect, acute anxiety situations and everyday stresses do not increase recurrences.

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Herpes Simplex Virus Infections

The herpes simplex virus causes a variety of infections, characterized by dormant periods with no symptoms and sporadic outbreaks of red, itchy, painful blisters. Generally, there are two types of herpes: genital herpes and oral herpes . However, herpes lesions from both types can be found anywhere on the body, including on the skin, mouth, eyes, and genitals.

Type 1 infections are most often found on the mouth, while type 2 infections tend to occur in the genital area.

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Recognizing The Symptoms Of Birth

The symptoms of birth-acquired herpes usually appear within the first few weeks of the babys life and may be present at birth.

Birth-acquired herpes is easiest to identify when it appears as a skin infection. The baby may have clusters of fluid-filled blisters on their torso or around their eyes.

The blisters, called vesicles, are the same type of blisters that appear on the genital regions of adults with herpes. The vesicles may burst and crust over before healing. An infant can be born with the blisters or develop the sores a week after birth.

Infants with birth-acquired herpes might also appear extremely tired and have trouble feeding.

The Ovulation Predictor Kit

To help you predict when you might ovulate so you limit unprotected sex to your most fertile days, an easy tool is the ovulation predictor kit . According to a study published in 2000 in Human Reproduction, an OPK is a reliable predictor of when ovulation is likely to occur. The at-home urine test measures the pituitary luteinizing hormone , which increases as you approach ovulation.

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Can You Still Have Healthy Kids With Herpes

A diagnosis of genital herpes can feel devastating. You may have the quesiton “Can i still have kids and them not have it?”. Yes, you can still have kids if you have herpes. Herpes will not stop you from having babies. Just take precautions. Read the ways to avoid spreading herpes while pregnant at the end of this aritlce. You can have a fulfilling life and have healthy babies. Remember you are not alone.

Myth: Cold Sores And Genital Sores Are Way Different

Many people wrongfully believe that cold sores dont count as real herpes, Raquel Dardik, MD, clinical associate professor at NYU Langones Joan H. Tisch Center for Womens Health, explains to Health. This misconception stems from the general patterns of the two types.

For most people, HSV-1 tends to affect their mouth, while HSV-2 usually manifests on the genitals. But either virus can affect either body region all it takes to spread is skin-to-skin-contact.

Lets say you touch an infected persons genitals with your mouth while theyre shedding the virus, but theres no genital-to-genital touching. You can then be infected with either HSV-1 or HSV-2 and go on to develop lesions at the site of the infection .

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Ask Your Doctor About Antiviral Medications

There is no cure for herpes, but medicines can modify the pattern of the disease process. Taking an antiviral herpes medicine daily might make it less worrisome and stressful to get pregnant with genital herpes. Daily treatment can:

• Reduce the chance of passing the virus to your partner or the other way around
• Suppress the virus and decrease viral shedding and transmission

Acyclovir , valacyclovir , and famciclovir are the choices of medicines used for herpes suppressive therapy, according to the CDC guidelines. Ask your doctor about taking suppressive therapy while you are trying to conceive.

What Happens If I Get Cold Sores Or Genital Herpes During Pregnancy

Having the HSV virus does not affect your chance of becoming pregnant.

It is quite common for women to have a cold sore during their pregnancy, even if they havent had one for a long time. Cold sores should not affect your unborn baby. But they are infectious, so its a good idea to treat them.

Genital herpes should not affect the baby if you have your first outbreak or it comes back in the first 34 weeks. But it can be transferred to your baby during the birth, especially if its your first outbreak.

If youve ever had a cold sore or genital herpes and you become pregnant, or you develop these conditions during pregnancy, its important to tell your doctor or midwife about it. Together you can make a plan for managing herpes during pregnancy and birth.

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Can You Have Kids If You Have Herpes

A diagnosis of genital herpes can feel devastating, but once the shock wears off youll find that you can continue to do a lot of the same things you could before. You can have a fulfilling love life and sex life. And yes, you can still have kids if you have herpes, too.

Of course, although its possible to have kids with herpes, you will need to take extra precautions. You can have a child without giving it herpes, but you and your doctor will need to keep an eye on things. As long as you are not having a herpes outbreak when you go into labor, the baby is unlikely to be infected. If you are having an outbreak, or there is a reason to be concerned, your doctor will perform a C-section.

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Symptoms Of Genital Herpes

Many people who have genital herpes are unaware that they have the virus because they have no symptoms, mild symptoms, or mistake the symptoms for other conditions such as jock itch, yeast infections, razor burn or allergic reactions to detergents. The infection can be diagnosed by taking a swab from the sores or through blood tests. Those with symptoms may experience a tingling sensation or itching in the genital area within a few days of having sex with an infected person. A cluster of blisters may appear and burst, leaving painful sores often lasting two to three weeks. A fever, headache and muscular pain may occur during the first attack.

After the sores from the first attack heal, the virus goes into a dormant stage, but recurrent outbreaks can occur. Some people have only one or two recurrences in a lifetime, while others have them frequently. Recurrences are typically shorter in duration and less severe than the first episode. Stress, menstrual cycle, illness, fever, surgery, exposure to sun, having sex, pregnancy, and the use of some medications can play a role in the frequency and severity of outbreaks. Herpes can continue to be transmitted to others, even between recurrences when the infected person has no symptoms.

Womens symptoms can include:

• tender lumps in the groin

Mens symptoms can include:

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Herpes Testing During Pregnancy

Of course, knowing whether or not your birth plan should be reassessed depends on knowing you indeed have genital herpes.

Doctors can certainly test for viral DNA during pregnancy. Still, there is some question about how useful these tests are, particularly when theyre done more than a few days before birth.

As well, an increasing percentage of genital herpes cases are due to HSV-1, and testing for it would not distinguish between the site of an outbreak .

ACOG, the American Academy of Family Physicians , and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend routine serologic screening for genital herpes simplex virus infection in those who are pregnant.

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Know More Facts About Herpes Outbreak:

First herpes outbreak | Recurrent herpes outbreaks | Stages of a herpes outbreak | How long does a herpes outbreak last | How often do herpes outbreaks occur? | What can trigger herpes outbreaks? | How to recognize a herpes outbreak? | How to prevent herpes outbreaks | Viral shedding | Herpes treatment | How to strengthen your immune system

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Herpes And Female Fertility

Herpes can impact female fertility only in an indirect way: a herpes infection may reduce your ability to get pregnant by making it more difficult to have unprotected sex. During an active herpes outbreak, having unprotected sex is not recommended, as the virus could spread. Fortunately, people with herpes can resume having unprotected sex after the outbreak has passed.

Getting Pregnant With Genital Herpes

If you have a history of genital herpes and you want to conceive naturally, the challenge is to time unprotected intercourse at your most fertile time, yet not infect your partner. The same applies if your partner is the one infected, and you are not.

As with everything in life, there is no guarantee the non-infected partner will not acquire the virus, but taking the best approach together will certainly limit the risk while you are trying to get pregnant.

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How Genital Herpes Can Affect Your Pregnancy

If you have genital herpes, its possible to spread the virus to your baby. A woman can spread it to her baby while she is:

• Taking care of her newborn

If the baby gets the virus while in the womb, the mother may have a miscarriage or deliver the baby too early, causing the baby to be premature.

When the baby catches the virus during birth or shortly thereafter, this can be deadly for the baby. Be sure your OB/GYN knows that you have genital herpes so that precautions can be taken.

Can Genital Herpes Be Prevented

The only way to prevent genital herpes and other STDs is to not have sex . If someone decides to have sex, using a latex condom every time can prevent most STDs.

But condoms can’t always prevent the spread of genital herpes. This is because the virus may be in the skin near the genitals .

People also can lower their risk of getting an STD by:

• getting tested with any new partners before having sex
• only having sex with one partner

Anyone who is sexually active should get tested for STDs every year . To find a testing site, visit the CDC’s National HIV and STD Testing Resources.

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Genital Herpes Is Caused By The Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Or Type 2

The CDC reports that about 776,000 Americans contract genital herpes each year. The virus is more easily passed from men to women than women to men. The infection is transmitted through lesions on surfaces lined with mucus or genital or oral secretions. Transmission often occurs when an infected person who is asymptomatic unknowingly passes the virus. In fact, almost 90% of people who are infected have either no symptoms or such mild symptoms that they do not know they are carriers.

If You Have Genital Herpes Can You Donate Blood

Before discussing whether you can donate blood when you have herpes, we need to answer the question: Can herpes be transmitted through blood donation?

Previously, blood collection facilities allowed herpes carriers to donate blood as long as they did not have an active infection. Thats because many believed that herpes could spread only during intercourse or via direct skin-to-skin contact.

However,recent studies suggest that herpes may spread via blood transfusions, regardless of whether the infected has an active infection. Since there isnt enough evidence to support this theory, many facilities still accept blood from herpes carriers.

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Can Herpes Cause Infertility

Herpes simplex does not adversely affect egg production or ovulation. However, a couple of studies did show a possible correlation with fertility challenges:

• Infertility in people with uteruses – One small study from 2016 found that there was a link between a certain strain of herpes and unexplained infertility in people with uteruses. This study showed that 43% of 30 participants with unexplained infertility had a uterine lining that was infected with this specific herpes strain . However, the 36 participants in the study who had no problems conceiving were not found to have the herpes strain in their uterine lining.
• Infertility in people with penises – Other studies have focused on the effect of genital herpes on infertility in people with penises. It was determined that having genital herpes may lower sperm count, which, in turn, may affect your chances of getting pregnant. Herpes may actually be a significant factor in unexplained infertility for these individuals.
• Reduced fertility in a couple – A common complication that may also occur is if it is time to try to conceive and you have a herpes outbreak. This could delay intercourse and therefore interfere with potential conception and pregnancy.