 |
|
 |
||
| | |
| | |
Pregnancy & Herpes How can herpes simplex spread to an infant? · HSV is most often spread to an infant during birth if the virus is present in the birth canal during delivery. · HSV can also be spread to the baby if he or she is kissed by someonewho suffers from coldsores. · In rare instances, HSV may be spread by touch, if someone touches anactive cold sore and immediately touches the baby. How can herpes harm a baby? HSV can cause neonatal herpes, a rare but life-threatening disease. Neonatalherpes can cause skin, eye or mouth infections, damage to the centralnervous system and other internal organs, mental retardation, or death. Medication may help prevent or reduce lasting damage if it is given early. How many babies get neonatal herpes?
Although genital herpes is common, the risk of your baby being affected by
neonatal herpes is low particularly if you contracted genital herpes before the
third trimester of pregnancy. In the USA one in 1800-5000 live births are
affected, in the UK one in 60 000, in Australia and France one in 10 000 and
in the Netherlands one in 35 000 are affected. This means that the majority of
women with genital herpes give birth to healthy babies.
|
