I guess it could be but very, very unlikely that an OB/GYN here in the U.S. who wants to remain in business wouldn't be absolutely meticulous aboout hygiene. Nearly everything is brand new, down to the paper robe you wear, cotton swabs, slides, etc except for the speculum itself which is sterilized and generally the OB/GYN has a whole drawer of them to choose from. Some docs use disposable plastic speculums - those are brand new and them thrown away after use.
Routine pap smears, gyn visits, even STD checks don't include checks for herpes because the majority of the population will come up positive for herpes antibodies, most of us have been exposed to at least the oral herpes variety. The best way to diagnose genital herpes is first from the characteristic appearance of the lesions (similar to chicken pox - in clusters, first bumps which come to a head, break and finally heal) and then definitively from culturing the fluid from a herpes lesion, this will show live herpes viruses.
It is possible you've had the herpes virus for awhile and didn't know it or your husband has. Sometimes the first outbreak is mild, or is internal and not recognized as a herpes outbreak. But generally the first outbreak is pretty horrific - a large clump of sores, swollen inguinal lymph nodes, low grade fever, clusters of sores that pop, begin to heal then pop up again. Usually the first outbreak is the worst, subsequent ones are comparatively mild.
Is this outbreak you have pretty horrible, or is it rather mild and benign? If it's very mild, this may not be your primary outbreak, your first may have gone unnoticed. Or conversely your husband may have had a primary outbreak long ago that went unnoticed and then passed them to you during a latent phase. Or he may have known he's had herpes all along but not shared it with you. Many possibilities.
Yes, it is possible that neither of you have cheated, however in my practice in my unscientific observations of patients who come in with herpes (when I worked in a clinic) about 80-90% of them got herpes due to a new partner (either one they chose themselves or one their partner chose unbeknownst to them). Does your husband have any symptoms? How did he react when you told him you had a herpes outbreak?
2007-02-09 16:08:34
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answer #1
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answered by BabyRN 5
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2016-05-01 05:47:09
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answer #2
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answered by ? 3
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2016-08-13 09:33:34
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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I read your previous question too and I feel for you.
I know someone who tested negative for herpes while pregnant and then at birth her daughter got herpes encephalitis, had all sorts of horrible things happen and is now handicap. The doctors told her that some people will not test positive for herpes unless they are in an active break-out.
Most OB/GYN's are super careful about sterilizing their equipment after use, some even use disposable items. I DO NOT THINK THAT HERPES VIRUS CAN LIVE ON AN OBJECT VERY LONG ONCE EXPOSED TO AIR. The chances of you getting herpes from dirty equipment would be less likely than winning the lotto.
Maybe you have had the virus and just not broke out before. Maybe your husband is a carrier.
Sorry once again and hope you and your baby do well.
2007-02-09 08:15:01
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answer #4
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answered by Jennifer M 4
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It's virtually impossible. It's like everyone saying "you can get herpes from a toilet seat". It's just NOT true.
Genital herpes is only spread 2 ways - sex (vaginal, anal and oral) and direct skin to skin contact with someone who is infected.
There is a few ways you could have got the virus. You might have contracted it from a previous relationship, your husband may have contracted it from a previous relationship, or your husband may have cheated on you. No one can ever say they know for sure that their spouse is not cheating on them. No one is with their spouse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also, it's possible to test negative when you really have the virus, or to test positive when you don't have it. I personally know someone who tested positive and then later tested negative. Sometimes tests are wrong. They are not 100%.
Sorry, but herpes just doesn't "appear" or is contracted from unsterilized instruments, toilet seats, pools, spas, etc.
***Also, Sara (the first answerer) is just COMPLETELY wrong. Herpes and HPV are two VERY different viruses that have NOTHING to do with each other. I would know because I have also had HPV for the last 6 years too.
2007-02-09 09:40:47
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answer #5
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answered by Alli 7
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2016-10-06 11:16:17
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answer #6
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answered by ? 4
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Alli nailed this one. I'll only add that while the primary (initial) outbreak is usually the most severe (in the minority who ever have an outbreak), it is still often missed and the person only becomes aware of the infection when they notice a recurring outbreak some time later. So it is possible you have been carrying the infection for some time.
Further, it is possible your husband has been carrying the infection for some time (again, entirely possibly for an infection to never cause symptoms) and has finally passed it on. Even in those who never have an outbreak (and hence are not aware they are infected) are able to spread the virus on occasion - this is termed asymptomatic viral shedding and occurs, on average, about 2-8 days per year (varies widely by person). So it is possible you hit one of those unlucky days and were infected.
And yes, Sara, please figure out what you are talking about and then post. HPV and herpes (HSV-1/-2) are very, very different things.
2007-02-09 10:09:34
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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I got identified with herpes (type 2) about 7 years ago, when I was still in college and had a dumb one-night stand. I realize lots of girls will declare this, but I swear I had never done that sort of thing before. I just made a massive mistake that one time and all of a sudden it seemed like I was going to have to live with the implications for the rest of my life. The hardest part was feeling I could never date men again. After all, who wants to go out with someone that has sores round her private parts? But since a friend shared this video https://tr.im/1Clx6 everything got better.
Not only was I able to eradicate all remnants of the herpes simplex virus from my system in less than 3 weeks, but I was also able to begin dating once more. I even met the guy of my dreams and I'm so lucky to write that just last week, in front of everyone in a busy restaurant, he got down on one knee and proposed to me!! This system provided the opportunity to be happy and experience real love. Now I want to help you too by sharing this with the whole World.
2015-05-01 01:53:31
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answer #8
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answered by Sayre 1
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Do you have HPV? If so then that is the cause of the herpes. A doctor would never use unsterilized instruments on a patient. Also herpes can lay dormant for a while before an outbreak. Best of luck!
2007-02-09 08:12:57
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answer #9
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answered by Sara 4
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Maybe you got them before your husband....or maybe your husband is not being completely honest.
OB/GYN's keep a very sterile environment.
2007-02-09 08:13:03
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answer #10
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answered by Vampira 4
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