Can You Have Kids If You Have Herpes

What If I Have An Sti That Cant Be Cured

How Contagious is Herpes?

It can be a very anxious time if you find out you have a STI that cant be cured. It is possible though for women living with an incurable STI to get pregnant safely and have a healthy baby, as long as the STI is treated and managed well.

Talk to your doctor or nurse. Its important that you understand your condition and what you need to do to stay healthy and get pregnant safely

STIs such as HIV and herpes can be treated with antiviral and other medicine to bring down the risk of passing the infection to your baby so make sure that your midwife or doctor know if you have something.

Always check with your doctor or nurse that any medications you are prescribed are suitable for conception.

Remember that even if you have no STIs when you conceive, its still advised to practice safe sex through your pregnancy,

How Can Neonatal Herpes Be Prevented

If youre pregnant and have a history of genital herpes, tell your doctor or midwife.

You may need to take medication during the last month of pregnancy to prevent an outbreak of vaginal sores during labour.

Delivery by caesarean section is recommended if the genital herpes has occurred for the first time in the last 6 weeks of your pregnancy.

If you develop a cold sore or have any signs of a herpes infection, take these precautions:

do not kiss any babies
wash your hands before contact with a baby
wash your hands before breastfeeding
cover up any cold sores, lesions or signs of a herpes infection anywhere on your body to avoid passing on the virus

You May Like: What Can You Do To Get Rid Of Herpes

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.

Also Check: What Medicine Is Used To Treat Herpes

Pregnancy Alternatives When You Have Genital Herpes

If you prefer not take a risk of sharing the virus through unprotected sex, you and your partner might want to consider alternate ways to have a family. These options include the following:

Artificial insemination – You can work with a doctor to get with your partner’s or donor’s sperm without skin-to-skin sexual contact.
In vitro fertilization – In vitro fertilization, which can be complex and expensive, involves combining the egg and sperm outside the body and then transferring fertilized embryos to the uterus.
Surrogacy – If you have the virus and your partner doesn’t and you want to avoid the concerns of transmitting herpes to your baby during pregnancy, you might want to consider using a surrogate to carry the baby. The cost of surrogacy can also be expensive.

For most people, having a diagnosis of genital herpes can be stressful and life-changing. Because there is no cure, trying to get pregnant can be challenging but not impossible. And other options are available.

Knowing the essentials about the virus and how to decrease the chance of infecting your partner , and how and when to time intercourse can help you get pregnant safely. Talk to your doctor for more help and insight.

Antiviral Medications And Pregnancy

Experts say it is safe and effective to take antiviral medications prescribed by your doctor in the third trimester up until delivery. This reduces your likelihood of having a herpes outbreak OR shedding the virus without symptoms when you deliver.

If you are having an outbreak or are newly infected during the pregnancy, then the chances of passing on the virus are high. In this case your doctor will need to deliver the baby by a caesarian section.

Also Check: Is It Herpes Or Yeast Infection

Know More Facts About Herpes Outbreak:

What If I Find Out I Have An Sti

Dont worry. Most STIs can be treated. These are available in most pharmacies or from a GP or GUM clinic.

Some treatments are not suitable if you are trying to get pregnant. Your GP, pharmacist or clinic will let you know which ones.

If you have an STI you shouldnt have sex until seven days after you and your partner have completed treatment and the infection has cleared. Sometimes, symptoms may not go away after the first treatment and you may need another round. If the treatment doesnt work you may need more tests.

Tell the doctor, nurse or pharmacist that you want to start trying for a baby. They will be able to advise you about when the infection should clear and when to start trying for a baby.

You May Like: Valtrex Dosing For Herpes Simplex

Got Herpes When Contracted It Could Make All The Difference When It Comes To Your Baby’s Health

Most women think that having herpes during pregnancy is a fairly straightforward matter: If you have any sores when you go into labor, youll simply deliver by Cesarean section to avoid infecting your baby. Yet the issue is much more complicated than is often perceived.

For example, herpes is far more prevalent than is generally recognized, and many people dont know theyre infected or that they can contract the virus from a partner who has no symptoms. Whats more, few people realize that contracting herpes during pregnancy can be very dangerous to the baby.

Heres what every pregnant woman needs to know about this very common virus:

Your chances of having herpes may be greater than you think…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16.2 percent of U.S. adults1 in 6have genital herpes caused by herpes simplex virus 2, or HSV-2. However, when you factor in the number of people who have genital herpes caused by HSV-1, the strain typically associated with fever blisters of the mouth, the number skyrockets to approximately 1 in 3, says David Kimberlin, M.D., a professor in the division of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

And that may actually be a good thing.

Contracting herpes while pregnant poses serious risk to a baby.

How Do You Get Genital Herpes

Mom Infects Her Baby with Herpes?

Genital herpes can be passed on by:

when a cold sore touches genitals
transferring infection on fingers to genitals
sharing sex toys with someone who has herpes.

Dont panic about other types of contact though: herpes isnt transmitted by sharing towels, cutlery or cups. The virus dies quickly when its away from the skin .

Recommended Reading: How Do You Get Rid Of Herpes On Your Face

What Else Should I Know

Genital herpes is a lifelong condition, but there are ways to manage it. If your teen has genital herpes, you can help them learn to live with the infection. Talk to your teen about:

taking medicines to stop outbreaks or make them less frequent and less severe
learning how to reduce the risk of spreading genital herpes by taking medicines, always using a condom during sex, and avoiding sex during outbreaks
talking to partners before starting a sexual relationship

Can You Be Born With Herpes

Herpes is a common event. According to the CDC , herpes affects about 1 out of every 6 people. It is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by being infected with the herpes simplex virus . One of the main questions people ask about this disease is, Can you be born with herpes? This article will attempt to address that.

Read Also: What Happens When You Get Herpes

Read Also: Can Genital Herpes Turn Into Hiv

What If I Have A Cold Sore While Breastfeeding

If you have cold sores, it is safe to breastfeed your baby as long as the cold sores are not on the breast or nipple.

If they are, it may be wise to breastfeed from the unaffected nipple only until the lesions have cleared up. You would express and dispose of breastmilk from the affected nipple. Breastmilk itself doesnt contain the herpes virus but it can be contaminated through the skin lesions.

Talk to your doctor or midwife as soon as you notice any cold sores on your breast or nipple.

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.

Recommended Reading: Can You Get Pregnant With Herpes 2

What Treatment Can I Get If I Have A Genital Herpes Outbreak In Pregnancy

If you have genital herpes, an antiviral drug called aciclovir is recommended. Aciclovir isnt licensed for use during pregnancy but is considered safe and hasnt been associated with an increased incidence of birth defects . Antiviral treatment is offered:

to treat outbreaks in pregnancy
from 36 weeks to reduce the chance of an outbreak during birth
from diagnosis until birth if a pregnant woman gets a primary infection after 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Strains And Unexplained Female Infertility

One recent study found that there was a link between a certain strain of herpes and unexplained infertility in women. This study showed that 43% of 30 women with unexplained infertility had a uterine lining that was infected with this specific herpes strain . However, the 36 women in the study who had no problems conceiving were not found to have the herpes strain in their uterine lining.

You May Like: How Do You Treat Herpes

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.

Women Who Dont Have Genital Herpes

Protecting Against Herpes

The greatest risk of neonatal herpes is to babies whose mothers contract a genital infection late in pregnancy. While this is a rare occurrence, it does happen, and can cause a serious, even life-threatening, illness for the baby. The best way you can protect your baby is to know the facts about HSV and how to protect yourself. The first step may be finding out whether you already carry the virus.

You can talk to your healthcare provider about testing for genital herpes. If you test negative for genital herpes, but your partner has genital or oral herpes, you may acquire it unless you take steps to prevent transmission. The following steps can help protect you from getting an infection during pregnancy:

You May Like: Can Herpes Type 1 Be Cured

Is It Safe To Have A Baby If You Have Herpes I Know Because I Did

One of the most terrifying parts of finding out that I had genital herpes was wondering if Iâd ever be able to have a baby. I knew that some STIs could result in infertility, and others could be transmitted to the baby. But I knew virtually nothing about the herpes simplex virus when I found out I had it. I wanted to know if it was safe to have a baby if I had herpes. The answer, it turned out, was yes. With some caveats, of course, because having an STI makes some things just a little bit more complicated.

The CDC estimates that somewhere around 1 in 6 Americans have genital herpes, though the numbers could be much higher than that because as many as 87 percent of people who have it are unaware of their infection.

Whoa.

But what this means is that lots of people who have genital herpes also have babies. The fact that itâs so common means that there should be way more information available than there is, but shame and stigma make people reluctant to talk about STIs, including herpes. When I was pregnant, I had a very difficult time finding information about how herpes would affect my pregnancy.

What I discovered is that there are two main things to know: the fact that youâre immunocompromised during pregnancy may affect your infection, and you need to have a plan for what youâll do if you have an outbreak when you go into labor.

Images: frankdekleine/Flickr Courtesy ofbritnidlc/Instagram

You May Like: Does Weed Help With Herpes

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.

Recommended Reading: How To Tell My Partner I Have Herpes

Herpes And Fertility: Myths Realities And Stigma

One of the most popular topics in the Life With Herpes community is how herpes affects pregnancy and fertility. We chatted with the community founder to get the scoop. Here, well walk you through a stigma-free herpes 101, including why the infection might not impact your fertility, and why you shouldnt stress too much about passing on herpes to your baby during pregnancy.

When Alexandra Harbushka was 25, she told an audience at a conference that she had herpes. The result? After her speech, many people approached her to tell her that they, too, had herpes, and that they’d never told anyone until now.

Alexandra was curious. Why weren’t people talking about herpes? How could she help people with herpes meet one another, talk candidly about it, and access medically accurate, stigma-free information? She decided to start Life with Herpes an online community where people with herpes can connect.

One of the most prominent topics in the community? Fertility concerns. Alexandra says both men and women wonder how having herpes will impact their family planning. Will they have to use condoms forever to avoid transmitting herpes? Will they have to conceive via IVF in order to not infect a baby? Will herpes negatively affect pregnancy?

If you have the same questions, read on we’ve got the facts.

Infection Before Or At The Beginning Of Pregnancy

Herpes Zoster: the virus that attacks without you realizing it

Women who become infected with herpes before pregnancy, or in the first three months of pregnancy, only rarely infect their child with it. One big study found that 1 out of 100 babies became infected during childbirth.

Pregnant women who have genital herpes should talk to their doctor about it. He or she can then check the skin for signs of an outbreak shortly before the birth. Its also important to tell the doctor if there are any early signs of an outbreak, such as tingling in the genital area, around the time of the birth. If there are no signs of an outbreak, theres no reason why the woman shouldnt give birth naturally. If there are, she is usually advised to have a Cesarean section. This greatly lowers the risk of infecting the baby.

It is estimated that about 13 out of 100 pregnant women who have genital herpes have an outbreak at the time of the birth. The risk of this happening can be reduced by preventive treatment with antiviral medication, which is then taken every day from 35 weeks of pregnancy until the birth. This also increases the chances of the woman being able to have a natural birth. Research has found that Cesarean sections were carried out in

13 out of 100 people who didnt have preventive treatment with antiviral medication, compared to
only 4 out of 100 women who did have preventive antiviral treatment.

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Herpes In Mouth Fast