| By :
Cedric Welsch
An outbreak of herpes when pregnant can be a trying experience. Questions of will my baby be infected, will there be any long term effects on my baby, will I be okay, are all normal concerns. Treating genital herpes infection during pregnancy is possible. Educating yourself on possible risks and complications will ease the anxiety and answer the questions you may have. It is possible for a woman to be exposed to the herpes virus, have produced antibodies, but not yet had an outbreak. Because the immune system is weakened when a woman becomes pregnant, an initial outbreak may occur during this time. A large number of women infected with the virus will have an outbreak during pregnancy. Women who have had previous outbreaks double their chances of having a recurrence when pregnant. Because the body produces antibodies to the HSV-2 virus, which can transmit to an unborn fetus, women who become infected with the herpes virus during the first or second trimester, chances are your baby will be protected. For women already infected before becoming pregnant, the body will produce these same antibodies offering protection for the little one. However, if you are infected with the HSV-1 virus, the antibodies do not offer the same amount of protection. The risks are increased if infected during the third trimester, or experience your first outbreak of genital herpes during this time. The reason for this is few antibodies have been passed on to protect the unborn child. The highest risk of transmission of herpes is during delivery when the fetus passes through the birth canal and is exposed to active herpes lesions. A woman who has her first episode in the last trimester, especially in the last four to six weeks, may be treated to reduce the risk of transmission to her baby. Some experts recommend cesarean section delivery for all women with herpes while others believe that if there are no lesions, a vaginal delivery is okay. Other risk factors are premature birth because the unborn child will not receive a full dose of antibodies, and transmission of herpes virus through the placenta is less of a risk, but still a possibility. This is known as congenital herpes. If you suspect you have genital herpes, it is important that you discuss this with your physician. If you are already pregnant, rest assured there are steps you can take to reduce the chances of passing the infection on to your unborn child. Pregnancy should be a happy time and not filled with stress so enjoy it.
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