Can genital herpes be passed through childbirth?

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Answer 1

Yes, herpes can be passed to a baby during childbirth if the mother is having a genital herpes outbreak at the time of delivery.

Genital herpes is VERY RARELY spread by birth though. In fact, less than 0.1% of babies born in the United States each year get neonatal herpes. If a woman with genital herpes is having an outbreak at the time of delivery, she'll more than likely have a C-section delivery to prevent the baby from contracting the virus. If the woman is NOT having an outbreak then it is perfectly fine to have a normal vaginal birth. Of course it's always important to talk to your doctor about this when the time comes.

Babies are most at risk for neonatal herpes if the mother contracts genital herpes late in pregnancy. This is because a newly infected mother does not have antibodies against the virus, so there is no natural protection for the baby during birth. In addition, a new herpes infection is frequently active, so there is an increased possibility the virus will be present in the birth canal during delivery.

Women who acquire genital herpes before they become pregnant have a very low risk of transmitting the virus to their babies. This is because their immune systems make antibodies that are temporarily passed to the baby through the placenta. Even if herpes is active in the birth canal during delivery, the antibodies help protect the baby. In addition, if a mother knows she has genital herpes, her doctor or midwife can take steps to protect the baby.

I've had genital herpes for 6+ years and I'm planning on having a vaginal birth when I become pregnant, unless of course I'm having an outbreak at the time of delivery.

Take care!

Check out the link below for more information:
http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn_pregnancy.cfm

Answer 2

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Answer 7

Just read Alli's answer, it is spot on.

It can be passed to the baby in the birth canal, but causes systemic herpes rather than genital hepres in the baby. 50% of newborns infected this way die, but it is extremely rare, about 0.01%.

Remember 1 in 4 women minimum have genital herpes, and imagine how many of these give birth vaginally with no problems.

The main risk is to babies born to women who catch hepres during pregnancy. In a British study, all the UK cases of herpes in the newborn were contracted from mothers infected during pregnancy. No women already infected when they became pregnant infected their babies, even those who were actually having an outbreak at the time of birth.

The UK study actually gives a much clearer picture of the actual risk than in the US, because in the US it is common to give antivirals in the last weeks of pregnancy to reduce risk. In the UK this was not judged to be worth it so cases of neonatal herpes show what happens completely without prevention methods.

Answer 8

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Can genital herpes be passed through childbirth?
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I am absolutely terrified and I feel so alone. I just found out last week that I tested positive for hsv1 and 2. I have been with the same man for the past 10 years and within the last year found out that he has cheated on me with numerous women. I am so scared that I can give it to my children by kissing them and them eating with me...I feel like my whole life has changed. And even though the nurses, my doctor, and websites say that a lot of people have it I still feel like I am by myself. My self esteem has dropped and I feel like I have been used up. But now, My life is very happy.

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Answer 10

you have gotten some good answers - but when babies are infected with herpes via their mothers it is called neonatal herpes not intrauterine herpes as someone else was saying. If the mother knows that she is infected then she is given antivirals from her ~32 week onward to reduce the chance of an outbreak and asymtamatic sheding . HSV genital infection is not an automatic c-section as some have stated as well.