Im Pregnant How Could Genital Herpes Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, it is very important for you to go to prenatal care visits. Tell your doctor if you have ever had symptoms of, or have been diagnosed with, genital herpes. Also tell your doctor if you have ever been exposed to genital herpes. There is some research that suggests that genital herpes infection may lead to miscarriage, or could make it more likely for you to deliver your baby too early.
Herpes infection can be passed from you to your unborn child before birth but is more commonly passed to your infant during delivery. This can lead to a potentially deadly infection in your baby . It is important that you avoid getting herpes during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, you may be offered anti-herpes medicine towards the end of your pregnancy. This medicine may reduce your risk of having signs or symptoms of genital herpes at the time of delivery. At the time of delivery, your doctor should carefully examine you for herpes sores. If you have herpes symptoms at delivery, a C-section is usually performed.
Support And Advice For Genital Herpes
If you have just found out you have genital herpes, you may feel shocked and may have a lot of questions. It may help you to gather as much information as you can about herpes. This can help you to make fully informed decisions about your treatment, safe sex and preventing further recurrences. Talking to a counsellor about your concerns may also help.
What You Need To Know About Herpes And How Its Transmitted
Two versions of the herpes simplex virus can cause this infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : herpes simplex virus type 1 and herpes simplex virus type 2 .
You might be thinking, Oooh, wait, HSV-1 causes oral herpes, and HSV-2 causes genital herpes, right? Technically, yes. But thats not the full picture. Both viruses can infect either your mouth or your genitals through skin-to-skin contact, the CDC explains.
HSV-1 has a predilection for the oral mucosa, but cases affecting the genitals are rising, Susan Bard, M.D., a New York City board-certified dermatologist and adjunct clinical instructor at the Mount Sinai Hospital, tells SELF. This can happen if, say, a person with HSV-1 in their mouth passes the infection to someones genitals while performing oral sex. And although HSV-2 is still behind most cases of genital herpes, it can cause oral herpes when someone with this infection on their genitals passes it to another persons mouth during oral sex.
You might think these signs would make it really obvious that something is up with your health if you have herpes. But its also entirely possible to have herpes without exhibiting any symptoms at all. The virus can lie dormant in the body without ever making itself known. Thats why so many people have herpes without realizing it, the CDC explains.
You May Like: What Are The Chances Of Getting Herpes
A Safe Organic Supplement To Replace All Herpes Vaccines
The HerpaGreens supplement is considered safe for use and free from major side effects as it contains only organic ingredients. However, customers should consult their healthcare provider before taking this supplement if they are pregnant, nursing, or if they are taking any OTC or prescription medications for a health condition.
Statistics revealed by the World Health Organization show that more than 500 million people in the world suffer from an HSV-2 infection that persists for a lifetime and often triggers a flare-up in response to stress. Both forms of the herpes simplex virus, the HSV-2 and HSV-2 can cause a herpes infection in newborns and could lead to blindness and other serious infections in those with an impaired immune system. The risk of an HIV infection is also increased by an HSV infection and may contribute to Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia.
Many people question why science has been unable to develop a herpes vaccine for so long when we have several for Covid-19 after just a few months. A recent study conducted by Dr. Houssein H. Ayoub, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics at Qatar University, and Dr. Laith Jamal Abu Raddad, Professor of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University highlight the scale of HSV-2 burden in the U.S. and demonstrates the need for continuous surveillance and to develop prophylactic and therapeutic HSV-2 vaccines.
Tags:
What Happens If I Dont Get Treated
Genital herpes can cause painful genital sores and can be severe in people with suppressed immune systems.
If you touch your sores or the fluids from the sores, you may transfer herpes to another part of your body, such as your eyes. Do not touch the sores or fluids to avoid spreading herpes to another part of your body. If you do touch the sores or fluids, immediately wash your hands thoroughly to help avoid spreading your infection.
If you are pregnant, there can be problems for you and your developing fetus, or newborn baby. See Im pregnant. How could genital herpes affect my baby? above for information about this.
Also Check: How To Avoid Getting Herpes From Your Partner
What If We Could Finally Cure Herpes This Scientist Is On The Case
Robert Hood / Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
In May 2020, the World Health Organization estimated that around half a billion people worldwide are living with genital herpes, and several billion have oral herpes. While there are antiviral medications available to help reduce symptoms, there is no cure.
Recently, a paper published in the science journal Nature Communications reported that a team of researchers was able to eliminate over 90 percent of latent herpes simplex virus, which causes oral and genital herpes, in mice. Curing mice is a long way from curing humans, but its still an exciting step.To better understand how researchers were able to achieve this success and whether it holds the same promise for humans in the future, we spoke with one of the studys authors, Keith Jerome, M.D., Ph.D., a physician and medical researcher on the faculty at the University of Washington, in the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
How Are Hsv Infections Currently Treated And Prevented
People with HSV infections can take prescription antiviral medications like or to help resolve blisters when they appear. And some people will take these medications daily to prevent outbreaks, too. Over-the-counter options, such as the topical cream , are also available for cold sores.
One thing to know is that most people dont even know that they have an infection because they arent experiencing symptoms but its still possible to spread it to others if youre symptom-free. As a general rule, youll want to use condoms to help lower the chance of transmitting the virus during sex, especially if you know that youre carrying the virus.
But unfortunately, these strategies only work partially. People with HSV may find that available medications do not work well for them, and condoms may not cover all areas where blisters appear. This has prompted research into whether a vaccine for these viruses is possible.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Treatment For Herpes
How Is Herpes Simplex Treated
Although there is no cure for herpes, treatments can relieve the symptoms. Medication can decrease the pain related to an outbreak and can shorten healing time. They can also decrease the total number of outbreaks. Drugs including Famvir, Zovirax, and Valtrex are among the drugs used to treat the symptoms of herpes. Warm baths may relieve the pain associated with genital sores.
Continued
Improve Your Sleep Habits
Sleep is one of your most valuable defenses against disease. Rest doesnt just refresh your mind, it recharges your immune system as well.
Stop fatigue from zapping your immune system and making you vulnerable to cold sore outbreaks with these tips:
- – Create a soothing sleep environment
- – Reduce technology and blue light before bedtime
- – Develop a consistent evening routine to wind down
- – Get regular exercise during the day
Also Check: Does Genital Herpes Go Away On Their Own
What About A Herpes Vaccine
Researchers have been experimenting with potential herpes vaccines for decades, but to date, only the shingles and chickenpox variants of herpes can be prevented with a vaccine.
Clinical trial testing for herpes vaccines has proved difficult for many reasons, including asymptomatic infection and unpredictable viral shedding.
However, a new study from the University of Cincinnati, Northwestern University, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln hopes to accomplish what others have not. The studys research team has genetically edited a form of herpes simplex virus and rewired it so that it cant hide out in the nervous system during dormant periods. Early results suggest theres hope for a vaccine, but just as with the CRISPR herpes cure, final results are still years away.
Genital Herpes Cdc Fact Sheet
Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease that any sexually active person can get. Most people with the virus dont have symptoms. Even without signs of the disease, herpes can still be spread to sex partners.
Basic Fact Sheet | Detailed Version
Basic fact sheets are presented in plain language for individuals with general questions about sexually transmitted diseases. The content here can be syndicated .
Don’t Miss: Which Herpes Medication Is The Best
Treatment Options For Oral Herpes
Oral herpes, also known as cold sores, can be treated using a number of affordable over-the-counter products .
Abreva
Abreva® is an over-the-counter cream used to treat cold sores and fever blisters. It contains the only non-prescription ingredient approved by the FDA to accelerate the cold sore healing process. Apply Abreva® directly to your cold sore at the first sign of emergence for best results. This OTC treatment can be used up to five times a day, or as directed by your doctor.
When used at the first sign of that cold sore tingle, Abreva® can reduce healing time to between 2.5 and 4.1 days. It works by blocking the herpes virus from entering healthy skin cells and replicating. This means that Abreva® delivers the best results when applied in evenly spaced intervals to keep the skin consistently covered.
Orajel
Orajel is a popular over-the-counter medication for instant and targeted pain relief in and around the mouth. For herpes simplex cold sores, the Orajel Cold Sore formula includes six active ingredients shown to treat the pain, itching, and dryness caused by cold sores.
Orajel uses a combination of skin protectants, topical anesthetics, and topical analgesics to temporarily relieve symptoms of cold sores and fever blisters. The product is applied directly to the cold sore and blended well until the green tint disappears. Its safe to apply Orajel up to four times a day to maintain comfort.
Treatment Vs Preventative Vaccines
The biggest difference between treatment and preventative vaccines is which groups of people they would benefit. Treatment vaccines are intended for people who have been infected with HSV, boosting the immune system to fight the virus. They would help improve symptoms, help blisters heal faster, and lower the risk of spreading the virus to other people.
The second type of vaccine a preventative vaccine is the most common type of vaccine we get as children and adults, helping to train our immune system against a germ before we encounter it. In other words, a preventative HSV vaccine would prevent you from being infected with HSV. The and the are examples of preventative herpes vaccines currently available, but they will not prevent HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Recommended Reading: How To Relieve Genital Herpes Symptoms
Is There A Cure For Hiv And Aids
FAST FACTS
-
There is no cure for HIV, although antiretroviral treatment can control the virus, meaning that people with HIV can live long and healthy lives.
-
Most research is looking for a functional cure where HIV is permanently reduced to undetectable and harmless levels in the body, but some residual virus may remain.
-
Other research is looking for a sterilising cure where HIV is removed from the body completely, but this is more complicated and risky.
-
Trials of HIV vaccines are encouraging, but so far only offer partial protection.
There is no cure for HIV yet. However, antiretroviral treatment can control HIV and allow people to live a long and healthy life.
For some people, treatment can reduce the level of HIV in their body to such a low amount that they are unable to pass it on . Having an undetectable viral load can keep you healthy, but its not a cure for HIV. To maintain an undetectable viral load a person must keep adhering to their antiretroviral treatment.
How Do You Get Herpes
Oral herpes can be spread through saliva, kissing, and skin-to-skin contact. HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes, if the genital areas are exposed to fever blisters or sores on the mouth or face, or through oral sex. Even though HSV-1 also never completely goes away, that strain of the virus causes fewer outbreaks over time in the genital areas than HSV-2.
Genital herpes can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and/or sexual intercourse of all types . Most people dont realize that sores from genital herpes can appear on the face as well as the genital area. Because the virus can spread any time contact occurs with a blister or sore, a condom doesnt always provide sufficient protection.
Don’t Miss: How Long Can I Live With Herpes
Where Does The Herpes Virus Live In The Body
The herpes simplex viruses are latent, meaning they can live in the body without causing symptoms. After the initial infection, the virus gets into the nerve roots and spreads to the sensory nerve ganglia, the junctions where nerves from different parts of the body come together. For the genital area, the ganglia are adjacent to the spinal cord in the lower back. For orofacial herpes , the ganglia are located behind the cheek bone.
The Herpes Virus Is Extremely Complicated
According to Dr. Anna Wald, the head of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Division at the School of Medicine at the University of Washington, herpes is just one of many sexually transmitted viruses that scientists don’t fully understand.
“We dont have a cure for a lot of things,” she says, citing HIV and hepatitis as other examples.
Most viruses attack our cells and attempt to multiply as soon as they enter our bodies. In response, our immune system releases white blood cells and antibodies to neutralize the virus and make it less harmful. Often, our immune systems can clear viruses out of our bodies, meaning we’re no longer infected.
But herpes is more complicated than that, says Wald. Herpes “has figured out how to live in the host despite the immune response,” she explains.
Unlike other viruses, herpes hides in the central nervous system, and our immune system can’t easily access this area of our bodies, Wald says. To make things even more complicated, the virus can lie dormant in our central nervous systems for an extended period of time .
As for therapeutic vaccines, they would have to be significantly better than current antiviral medications are at reducing the likelihood of transmission and outbreaks, says Dr. Hunter Hansfield, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of Washington Center for AIDS and STDs. Fortunately, current antiviral medications can already reduce the recurrence of outbreaks by about 70 percent, according to American Family Physician.
Read Also: How To Live With Herpes Type 2
Why Is Creating A Herpes Vaccine Difficult
The Herpes Simplex Virus has a much more complicated DNA than the other infections and can easily go undetected by the immune system, very much like many cancer cells do and since vaccines are mainly formed by stimulating the immune system, it is way harder to create a herpes vaccine since the basic immune response towards the virus cant be traced in most cases. The HSV infection can remain dormant and hideaway in a persons nerve cells for months or years before appearing and activating the symptoms of the infection. According to many experts, even if antiviral drugs destroy the activated parts of the infection, it is likely that a small amount of the virus may hide in the nerve cells and go dormant for a while and reappear in a few months or years.
Can You Prevent Herpes Outbreaks
Taking good care of yourself can help prevent future herpes outbreaks. Eating healthy foods, getting plenty of sleep, and avoiding stress can all help outbreaks from occurring.
If you have frequent outbreaks, your doctor may recommend that you take medicine daily, which is called suppressive therapy. It can help prevent future breakouts, and lower your chances of sharing herpes with your partner.
Research has not concluded what causes genital herpes outbreaks whether its sex, your period, stress, skin irritation, or surgery. Oral herpes outbreaks can be caused by sunburn, other infections, or injuries to your lips.
Recommended Reading: What Temperature Kills Herpes Virus
What To Do If You Think You May Have Genital Herpes
If youre worried that you may have genital herpes, dont hesitate to reach out to your provider to schedule an appointment. If you have active sores, many providers can confidently diagnose you with genital herpes based on appearance. But confirmatory laboratory testing is also available and recommended.
If you do have active sores, your provider may swab the area and look at the sample under the microscope. They may also send the sample to a lab to test for the presence of HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Your provider can take a blood test if you dont have active sores, but youre worried about exposure. This test can be helpful because it doesnt need to be timed with an outbreak. But a blood test has a few drawbacks:
-
It cant differentiate between HSV-1 or HSV-2.
-
If its positive, it doesnt specify how long you have been infected.
-
It isnt always positive right after you become infected. So this may mean you need to schedule a repeat test.
If youre worried about a possible exposure or some unexplained symptoms, you should never hesitate to reach out to a clinic or provider for testing. They can provide useful information, and you can do it at any time.