How To Protect Yourself From Genital Herpes

Im Pregnant How Could Genital Herpes Affect My Baby

Protecting Against Herpes

If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, prenatal care visits are very important. Some research suggest that a genital herpes infection may lead to miscarriage or make it more likely to deliver your baby too early. You can pass herpes to your unborn child before birth, but it more commonly passes during delivery. This can lead to a deadly infection in your baby . It is important that you avoid getting genital herpes during pregnancy. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had a genital herpes diagnosis or symptoms. Also tell them about any possible exposure to genital herpes.

If you have genital herpes, you may need to take anti-herpes medicine towards the end of your pregnancy. This medicine may reduce your risk of having signs or symptoms of genital herpes when you deliver. At the time of delivery, your healthcare provider should carefully examine you for herpes sores. If you have signs or symptoms of genital herpes at delivery, a C-section is likely to occur.

Can Genital Herpes Come Back

Yes. Genital herpes symptoms can come and go, but the virus stays inside your body even after all signs of the infection have gone away. The virus becomes “active” from time to time, leading to an outbreak. Some people have outbreaks only once or twice. Other people may have four or five outbreaks within a year. Over time, the outbreaks usually happen less often and are less severe.

Experts do not know what causes the virus to become active. Some women say the virus comes back when they are sick, under stress, out in the sun, or during their period.

Can Genital Herpes Cause Other Problems

For most women, genital herpes does not usually cause serious health problems.

Women with HIV can have severe herpes outbreaks that are long-lasting. Herpes also may play a role in the spread of HIV. Herpes sores can make it easier for HIV to get into your body. Also, herpes can make people who are HIV-positive more likely to spread the infection to someone else.

Can I Be Treated To Prevent Genital Herpes Transmission To My Partner

Yes. A large study showed that if one partner has herpes and the other partner is uninfected, treating the infected partner with suppressive therapy can prevent transmission of symptomatic herpes in over 90% of cases. This is an option for couples who are interested in having unprotected sex or who are planning to become pregnant.

If you are entering into a new relationship and are aware that you have herpes simplex infection, you owe it to your partner to notify them before having sex.

My Partner Has Herpes How Can I Avoid Getting It And And Still Have A Fulfilling Sex Life

I just found out the guy Ive been seeing for a couple weeks has herpes. Im full of questions, but one question I keep dwelling on is, how can people get pregnant without passing on herpes to their partner? How can I avoid getting herpes and still have a fulfilling sex life with him?

Its normal to have complicated feelings after you find out that your partner has herpes. Millions of people are living with herpes, and sharing your concerns with your partner and educating yourself on how its spread are good ways to protect yourself.

Genital herpes is spread from skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it including . Herpes can live on areas of your body that arent protected by condoms , so condoms wont always protect you from herpes. But they do lower your chances of getting herpes.

Here are other ways to avoid getting herpes from your partner:

Talk with your partner about taking herpes medicine every day, which can lower their chances of spreading herpes.
Dont have sex during a herpes outbreak, even with a condom. There may be sores on places the condom doesnt cover. Wait until the sores are totally gone, and the scabs heal and fall off.

Tags:herpes, sex

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Some Important Facts Affecting The Risk Of Herpes Transmission

Herpes is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact
The first outbreak is the most contagious
There is a greater statistical chance of passing herpes when youâve been recently diagnosed whether you have symptoms or not
Herpes infects skin areas that are thin and moist because itâs easier for the virus to penetrate those areas. For that reason, females are three times more likely to be infected than males
Younger people having casual sex are more likely to contract herpes
HSV-1 in the genital area recurs less often than HSV-2
Being positive for HSV-2 gives some protection against getting HSV-1. The opposite is not true
If a person with one type of herpes acquires a different type, the flare-up symptoms are milder
Sex toys should not be shared. But if they are shared, they should be cleaned with water and soap before being used

How Can I Best Learn To Cope With Herpes Simplex

Some people feel distressed or embarrassed about their herpes simplex infection. Its important to understand that the herpes virus is common. For most people, herpes doesnt significantly interfere with daily life.

To cope with negative feelings, you may consider:

Connecting with others through support groups or online forums.
Sharing your feelings with a trusted friend or loved one.
Speaking with a therapist.

Ii Best Home Remedies For Genital Herpes

1. Home Remedies For Genital Herpes With Epsom Salt

Scientifically, Epsom salt is also known as hydrated magnesium sulfate. Epsom salt is not salt. It looks like salt, however, is pure mineral. Epsom salt contains magnesium and sulfate minerals. It is an exfoliating scrub and a natural anti-inflammatory ingredient that helps fight genital herpes. Epsom salt can contribute to reducing the symptoms of genital herpes effectively. It can help speed up the healing of blisters in affected areas. When you have genital herpes, you will surely have fluid-filled blisters. In the cases of these breakouts, the blisters will cause a rapid burst of genital herpes. But with the use of Epsom salt, you will no longer be susceptible to these blisters. In addition, Epsom salt not only kills harmful bacteria in the diseased area but also provides moisture to the affected areas, which make you comfortable and relaxed during the illness. Besides, together with the use of treating genital herpes, Epsom salts can also keep you away from the side effects of antiviral drugs. Taking a bath with Epsom salt is an excellent home remedy for removing genital herpes.

How to do:

2. Home Remedies For Genital Herpes With Coconut Oil

How Common Is Genital Herpes

Can a Genital Herpes Vaccine Protect Against Oral Herpes?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 40 million to 50 million adults in the United States have genital herpes. HSV II infection is more common in women and in people who have had more than five sexual partners. Most people with HSV II do not know they have it, because it does not always cause symptoms.

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When To See A Healthcare Provider

The early recognition of genital herpes, ideally during the prodromal stage, allows you to access treatments that can shorten the duration and severity of an outbreak.

Clearly, this can be difficult during your first outbreak, given that you probably won’t be expecting it. But, over time, you will be better able to recognize the tell-tale signs and know when it’s time to act.

Genital Herpes Health Complications

Although genital herpes outbreaks can cause uncomfortable and even painful symptoms, they are generally not dangerous if you are a healthy adult, according to ASHA herpes expert H. Hunter Handsfield, MD. However, if you do have genital herpes, you are at increased risk for becoming infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS .

There is also a serious danger from genital herpes for women who are pregnant or become pregnant. Genital herpes infection may lead to miscarriage and can be passed to the unborn child before or during birth, causing a potentially deadly infection in the baby .

If you are pregnant and have any symptoms of genital herpes, or have ever been diagnosed with the infection, its crucial to tell your doctor and to follow through with all prenatal care.

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Recurrent Episodes Of Genital Herpes

Recurrences are usually less painful and shorter in duration than the first episode of genital herpes. Over time, episodes usually become less frequent and may eventually stop altogether. Infections caused by HSV1 are less likely to recur in the genital area than infections caused by HSV2.

Recurrences may be triggered by:

no apparent reason noted.

Is There A Cure For Herpes Simplex

There is no cure for herpes simplex. Once you have the virus, its a lifelong infection.

What is the outlook for people with herpes simplex?

For many people, the first herpes outbreak is the most severe. Many outbreaks are less frequent and milder after the first year of infection. Some people may have only one outbreak and never have another again.

Herpes infection doesnt usually pose a serious health risk. The risk of a health complication due to herpes is higher in infants and if you have HIV/AIDS, cancer or an organ transplant.

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How Can I Find Out If I Have Genital Herpes

Go to your doctor and get tested. A doctor may take a sample from what appears to be a genital herpes sore and send it to a lab for testing.

You can also get a blood test. The blood test looks for antibodies to the virus that your immune system would have made if you were infected. The second type of herpes simplex virus, HSV-2, almost always infects the genitals, so if a test shows antibodies to HSV-2 in your blood, you probably have genital herpes. A blood test that shows antibodies to the other type of herpes virus, HSV-1, means you could have genital or oral herpes. That’s because oral herpes, which is usually caused by HSV-1, can spread to the genitals during oral sex.

How To Treat Genital Herpes: Can Natural Remedies Help

This article was co-authored by Zora Degrandpre, ND. Dr. Degrandpre is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is also a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 666,012 times.

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If Someone With Herpes Has No Sores Can It Still Be Passed On

If someone has herpes but no sores, can it still be passed on to another person? Spence*

Yes. Even when no sores are present, the herpes is still active in the body and can spread to others.

If you or your partner has herpes, reduce the risk of spread by:

using a condom every time you have sex . The herpes virus can live outside of the area that a condom covers, though, so a condom may not always prevent the spread.
avoiding sex during outbreaks
making sure the infected person takes antiviral medicine every day as prescribed by the health care provider

The only way to completely prevent herpes and other STDs is to not have sex .

*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.

Can Genital Herpes Be Prevented

The most common STI in the world – Emma Bryce

The only sure way to keep from getting genital herpesor any other sexually transmitted infection is to not have sex. If you do have sex, practice safer sex.

Before you start a sexual relationship, talk with your partner about STIs. Find out whether he or she is at risk for them. Remember that a person can be infected without knowing it.
If you have symptoms of an STI, don’t have sex.
Don’t have sex with anyone who has symptoms or who may have been exposed to an STI.
Don’t have more than one sexual relationship at a time. Having several sex partners increases your risk for infection.
Use condoms. Condom use lowers the risk of spreading or becoming infected with an STI.
Don’t receive oral sex from partners who have cold sores.

Taking medicine for herpes may lower the number of outbreaks you have and can also prevent an episode from getting worse. It also lower the chances that you will infect your partner.

If you are pregnant, you should take extra care to avoid getting infected. You could pass the infection to your baby during delivery, which can cause serious problems for your newborn. If you have an outbreak near your due date, you probably will need to have your baby by caesarean section. If your genital herpes outbreaks return again and again, your doctor may talk to you about medicines that can help prevent an outbreak during pregnancy.

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Can Genital Herpes Be Treated

Your physician can prescribe different medications to help reduce your symptoms and speed up the healing of an outbreak. These medicines work best when you start them soon after an outbreak occurs.

To reduce pain during an outbreak:

Sit in warm water in a portable bath or bathtub for about 20 minutes. Avoid bubble baths.
Keep your genital area clean and dry, and avoid tight clothes.
Take over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Avoid aspirin.

Let your physician know if you are worried about your genital herpes. He or she can recommend a support group to help you cope with the virus.

Genital Herpes Treatment In Pregnancy

You may be offered antiviral treatment:

to treat outbreaks in pregnancy
from 36 weeks to reduce the chance of an outbreak during birth
from diagnosis until the birth if you first get herpes after 28 weeks of pregnancy

Many women with genital herpes have a vaginal delivery. You may be offered a caesarean, depending on your circumstances.

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What Can I Do To Help My Partner

For starters, you can understand that having genital herpes is common. More than 1 in 6 people ages 14-49 in the U.S. have it, according to the CDC.

If you or your partner is upset about having herpes, joining a support group might help. And if you think genital herpes is harming your relationship, you could try couple’s therapy.

How Can I Prevent Genital Herpes

If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting genital herpes:

Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who does not have herpes.
Using condoms the right way every time you have sex.

Be aware that not all herpes sores occur in areas that a condom can cover. Also, the skin can release the virus from areas that do not have a visible herpes sore. For these reasons, condoms may not fully protect you from getting herpes.

If your sex partner has/have genital herpes, you can lower your risk of getting it if:

Your partner takes an anti-herpes medicine every day. This is something your partner should discuss with his or her healthcare provider.

How Will My Healthcare Provider Know If I Have Genital Herpes

Your healthcare provider may diagnose genital herpes by simply looking at any sores that are present. Providers can also take a sample from the sore and test it. If sores are not present, a blood test may be used to look for HSV antibodies.

Have an honest and open talk with your healthcare provider about herpes testing and other STDs.

Please note: A herpes blood test can help determine if you have herpes infection. It cannot tell you who gave you the infection or when you got the infection.

Treatment The First Time You Have Genital Herpes

You may be prescribed:

antiviral medicine to stop the symptoms getting worse you need to start taking this within 5 days of the symptoms appearing
cream for the pain

If you have had symptoms for more than 5 days before you go to a sexual health clinic, you can still get tested to find out the cause.

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Coping With Your Feelings

Finding out that you have genital herpes may cause you to have negative thoughts or feelings about yourself or about sex, such as:

Feeling ashamed or embarrassed.
Being afraid of the consequences of the infection.
Being angry at the person who infected you.
Feeling frustrated with treatment or recurrent outbreaks.
Feeling scared to have sex.

A counsellor or support groups for people with herpes may be helpful.

How To Get Rid Of Genital Herpes Rash And Genital Herpes Lesions By Using Raw Milk

What You Need to Know About Genital Herpes

Milk is one of the best natural remedies for how to treat genital herpes sores, rashes, and lesions.

How to use?

Fill a small cup with cold milk
Add a few drops of rose water in the milk
Dip a cotton swab in the cold milk and then dab the mild genital herpes sores and lesions with the soaked cotton swab
Do this in every two hours to heal the genital herpes

Benefits of using milk

Precaution

Make sure that the milk is fresh and comfortably cold before using it on the affected areas of the skin.

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