Having a concern about genital herpes and pregnancy is normal since you want to ensure that you protect yourself and your unborn baby during this crucial period. Having herpes pass from mother to child can have devastating effects on the child. The risk of this happening is actually very low, but better understanding genital herpes and pregnancy will help you out more in the long run. Neonatal herpes is usually not reportable in the states, and this means that there are actually no hard statistics on the cases of genital herpes on infants. There are however, between 1 and 3 thousand cases throughout the United States reported each year of out of 4 million births. Neonatal herpes is a concern because the newborn faces death, brain damage, or mental retardation because of the infection in their system.
Causes of Genital Herpes
There are a few viruses that cause genital herpes. Herpes hides within the nerve cells, and the immune system is not able to reach and fight off the infection. This allows the virus to launch new attacks on the person who is infected and it is also why there is no cure for the herpes virus. There are two main strains of the herpes virus: HSV 1 that causes cold sores around lips and the mouth and HSV 2 that causes genital sores that can be painful. Either type of virus can affect the mouth and the genitals depending on when the break out occurs. This infection can be passed to the newborn child. There are many influences that can trigger outbreaks such as intercourse, stress, or heat. Four or five outbreaks annually should be expected in those who have herpes.
Risks During Pregnancy
Around one in four pregnant women is infected with the genital herpes virus. Most of these women do not know they are infected, and only a few of these mothers pass the infection to their babies. When the woman contracts the virus for the first time near the end of the pregnancy have a 40 percent chance of passing this infection along to the newborn during a vaginal delivery. This does not change whether or not they are having an outbreak at the time. The risk is higher at this time because the new infection has not produced disease fighting antibodies that could help protect the baby against the infection at this time. Around 2 percent of pregnant women contract genital herpes for the first time during their pregnancy.
If the infection was present before herpes, and have an outbreak during the time of delivery, they have only around a 3 percent chance of infecting their newborn. Blood tests can help determine if the woman has an old infection, or if the infection she is experiencing is a new one to help determine the best course of action for her unborn child.
Other Ways for the Infection to Spread
Most newborns contract the infection during delivery, although newborns can also contract the infection before birth. Sometimes children can become infected with the virus after birth such as when someone kisses the newborn when they have cold sores. If the person has cold sores, they should not touch or kiss the baby.
Symptoms of Infection in a Newborn
If the newborn is infected, they sometimes exhibit sores in the mouth or infections in the eyes. If the infection limits itself to these areas, then the infection cannot pose permanent damage to the nerve system or brain. Damage to the eyes might occur however. The herpes infection most of the time spreads to the brain and organs. These infants will show poor eating habits, irritability, and seizures. With treatment, only 30 percent of these infants with an infection in the organs die, and only around 4 percent of these end up with brain infections due to the spreading virus. The babies who do make it through end up with permanent and damaging infections and disabilities throughout their lifetime.
Treating the Infection in an Infant
There is a drug that is used to treat the infection in the infant. It is effective at treating a localized infection, but it cannot go much further than that. It is important to catch the infection early, and before it spreads to give the newborn life and options. This drug is not effective or less effective once the infection has spread to the nerves, brain, and internal organs.
It is important for mothers to educate themselves on genital herpes before having children. If they understand and know they are infected with the infection than they should take the necessary precautions to protect their newborn from getting the infection. It is also important for the mother to try to stay away from intercourse with others who might carry the virus while they are pregnant if they are not infected.