Posts Tagged ‘baby’
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Q: What are the dangers, if any, during pregnancy if one has herpes? Is there a possibility of passing herpes to the fetus or of the fetus having birth defects?
A: Genital and oral herpes are infections by the herpes simplex viruses, referred to as HSV-1 and HSV-2. As many as 25 percent of women of childbearing age may have been infected with HSV-2, the primary cause of genital herpes. (For more information on these viruses and how they are transmitted, please see my previous column on genital herpes.) It is possible for a pregnant woman who has genital herpes to infect her baby. Usually this occurs at the time of delivery as the baby passes through the birth canal, but in rare cases, it can occur during gestation, if the infection spreads from the vagina to the womb. Though it is rare, infection of the fetus in the uterus can cause early miscarriage or birth defects such as eye problems and abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord. More commonly, the baby is infected at the time of delivery. This results in symptoms days to a few weeks after birth. The spectrum of disease varies from a few blisters on the baby’s skin to a severe widespread illness involving the brain and internal organs. Such infection can result in death.
The overall risk of a newborn being born with or developing herpes is between 1 in 2,000 and 1 in 10,000 births. A woman who acquires herpes a short time before delivery is at much higher risk of passing it to her baby than if she was infected early in pregnancy or if she has a recurrence of her herpes at the time of delivery. This is probably because the quantity of virus is highest with a recent first infection. One study estimates the risk to the fetus to be almost 50 percent if the woman has her first herpes outbreak with an active lesion during delivery. In other words, the baby has a 1 in 2 chance of being infected in that circumstance. For women who have a recurrent outbreak and an active lesion at delivery, the risk is about 4 percent, or 1 chance in 25. If the woman is having a recurrence without noticeable symptoms (but still shedding the virus) the risk is less than 0.1 percent, or 1 chance in a 1,000.
In general, any woman who has not had herpes and who has a sexual partner with herpes is considered at high risk. Experts recommend that such women abstain from sex — or at least use condoms — in the second half of pregnancy. Cesarean section clearly lowers the risk of infection, but there is some controversy over when to recommend it. Before delivery, physicians should question women about symptoms of active herpes infection and examine them for any signs. In most if not all cases of active herpes, the doctor should recommend C-section. After a baby is born to a woman with herpes, the newborn should be closely monitored for any sign of disease. At the first sign of infection, the baby should receive the antiviral drug acyclovir (trade name Zovirax).
In some medical centers, women with a history of genital herpes are tested for HSV at the time of delivery. However, it is unclear what to do if the mother’s HSV cultures are positive. By the time the results are back from the lab, the baby has already been born and it is too late to decide to perform a C-section. And experts generally do not recommend giving acyclovir to every baby born to a mother with positive cultures, because most such infants will not develop disease even without treatment.
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Friday, November 27th, 2009
Q: Can genital herpes create problems in early pregnancy or harm fetal development? Dangerous to baby-to-be?
A: Try to calm your fears. Stress itself can cause recurrent herpes outbreaks. About 80 percent of women with herpes will have an average of two to four recurrences during pregnancy. Some occur without symptoms as well.
Infection is transmitted only rarely across the placenta or intact membranes. When the fetus does become infected, it is almost always by the virus that is shed from the cervix or vagina. The virus then either invades the uterus following rupture of membranes or comes into contact with the fetus at delivery.
Some research shows a slightly increased risk of miscarriage or preterm labor if the initial outbreak of herpes occurs during pregnancy. No fetal anomalies have been identified with herpes during pregnancy.
Your care provider should know about all outbreaks or suspicious episodes. Cultures can be taken but generally, only active lesions or symptoms suspicious of an upcoming outbreak at the time of the delivery warrant cesarean birth.
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Monday, November 9th, 2009
How does genital herpes affect a pregnancy?
Genital herpes can be passed during childbirth from a mother to a baby as the baby passes through the birth canal. Although this occurrence is uncommon (because mothers pass antibodies to their babies during pregnancy) it is a cause for concern. A baby born with herpes can also experience serious health problems, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), severe rashes and eye problems. Herpes can also be life threatening to an infant.
Pregnant women whose virus is active late in pregnancy may be put on suppressive therapy to help prevent transmission to their babies. Women with sores detected in or near the vagina at the time of labor may be advised to have a cesarean delivery to avoid exposing her infant to the herpes virus. Even women with a history of genital herpes but without lesions may be treated with antiviral medication prior to delivery.
If a newborn is infected, treatment with antiviral medications can greatly improve the baby’s health, particularly if treatment starts immediately.
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Friday, October 30th, 2009
Q: I have had herpes for 10 years, with five outbreaks in the 13 weeks of this pregnancy. You said that a woman having an outbreak while in labor our delivering should have a cesarean and not attempt a vaginal birth. What are the statistics for babies contracting herpes in vaginal birth during outbreaks? I want to avoid a cesarean at all cost but, want to know the real risks in percentages. Is there something that I can do to stop all of these outbreaks. I have most outbreaks after being short on sleep.
I have had herpes for 10 years, with five outbreaks in the 13 weeks of this pregnancy. You said that a woman having an outbreak while in labor our delivering should have a cesarean and not attempt a vaginal birth. What are the statistics for babies contracting herpes in vaginal birth during outbreaks? I want to avoid a cesarean at all cost but, want to know the real risks in percentages. Is there something that I can do to stop all of these outbreaks. I have most outbreaks after being short on sleep.
A: Adverse pregnancy outcomes are more likely when the initial outbreak of genital herpes is during pregnancy, because with the first episode, there are usually no maternal antibodies for the baby.
“Williams Obstetrics” (1997) states that the presence, absence or frequency of recurrences does not predict asymptomatic shedding at delivery. Such shedding appears to be an entirely random event of short duration, usually less that seven days. There is more than a 95 percent chance of a negative culture seven days after an episode of asymptomatic shedding during pregnancy.
We no longer recommend weekly cultures to detect asymptomatic shedding, and cultures taken during labor are rarely positive. It is known that genital cultures for herpes are not predictive of the risk for neonatal infection.
The following approach is now used by most services (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists):
1. Cultures are taken to confirm the diagnosis when a pregnant woman has lesions If there are no visible lesions at the onset of labor, then vaginal delivery is acceptable
2. Weekly surveillance cultures of women with a history of herpes but without lesions are not necessary and vaginal delivery is acceptable.
3. Cesarean delivery is performed if primary or recurrent lesions are visualized near the time of labor or when the membranes are ruptured or if there are prodomal symptoms of a recurrence.
Nearly half of all those newborns infected with herpes virus are preterm. Primary herpes causes infection in infants about 50 percent of the time and only four to five percent of the time with recurrent disease. Another study showed no infants infected with exposure to recurrent disease.
This data might lead us to believe that even if a mother has evidence of a lesion or who is suspicious of asymptomatic shedding might attempt a vaginal delivery. But I don’t know any care provider who would recommend a vaginal birth under these circumstances.
I wish you the best making this decision. It is not uncommon for herpes infection to decline in the later weeks of pregnancy, so I hope you won’t have to worry.
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Monday, July 6th, 2009
How did my baby get the virus?
Someone with the virus — most likely in the form of a cold sore or herpes gingivostomatitis — gave it to him. Maybe he shared a cup, utensil, or slobbery toy with someone who has the infection or maybe someone with the virus in his or her saliva (whether or not the person had a visible sore) kissed him, for example. A baby can also get the herpes virus during a vaginal birth if his mother has genital herpes.
Most people get the herpes simplex virus sometime during childhood. During the first bout — called primary herpes — your baby may have mouth soreness, gum inflammation, and perhaps a fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a sore throat. (These primary symptoms may be very mild, though. You may not even notice them)
Your baby will get better in about seven to ten days, but the virus will stay in his body for life. In some people the virus lies dormant and never acts up. In others it periodically flares up and triggers cold sores.
These flare-ups are called secondary herpes. Stress, fever, and sun exposure — but not contact with a cold sore — seem to trigger outbreaks.
During these secondary flare-ups, your child probably won’t have swelling of his gums or lymph nodes or a fever or sore throat, but he will have the telltale blistering on or near his lips.
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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
* I have several up-to-date, good quality latex condoms, dams and/or gloves — whichever I need for the specific sexual activities I want to engage in — and both I and my partner know how and when to use them, and are both willing to do so without argument in line with the infection risks we wish to reduce.
* I have a large bottle of latex-safe lubricant (KY, Liquid Silk, Astroglide, Wet, etc.) for use as needed.
* If I am having opposite-sex intercourse, and I or my partner are not comfortable using condoms alone, I have a secondary method of birth control. If I am using condoms alone, I and my partner know how to use them properly and know my partner will do his or her part to always use them.
* I have a list, or know where to find one easily, of local sexual health clinic or gynecologist phone numbers.
* I have some money of my own, or access to money, I can use at any time to take care of any needed birth control, safer sex items and annual testing and sexual health care or sexual crisis management, like abortion, for myself or my partnership AND/OR am aware of and participating in a national, state or city program which can provide me with, or subsidize all or some of, my needed birth control, safer sex, sexual health or sexual crisis management, like abortion.
* I am covered under a health insurance policy or public health program, which could cover pregnancy, neonatal care, gynecological visits, STI testing and/or birth control, or I have or can raise the funds to pay for these services myself.
Those material items are ideal to prevent and deal with disease, illness, infections or pregnancy (when applicable). Obviously, your mileage may vary when it comes to what sexual health and sexuality items might be covered by your insurance or your country, city or state’s services provided to you for free or low-cost. These items may also be limited by your age or personal or family means. There is no sex, save masturbation — no matter how long you and your partner have known each other, or what you have convinced yourself of — that does not carry some risks, no matter how safe you play it, and reducing and managing those risks often costs money.
Some things were not included. For instance, I didn’t say you needed to be able to insist on using a condom if your partner didn’t want to use one, because a partner who doesn’t want to take good care of both of you isn’t one you should be sleeping with. It’s really that simple. Toss the checklist to your partner too: talk about the items on it together. This is about both of you. You may find that simply discussing the reality of the situation makes a big difference for you both. A lot of sex is innate and intuitive, and it is perfectly normal to feel driven by our libido and our emotions, but it isn’t smart to ignore good sense and responsible behavior, or the practical parts of sex, because of those feelings and desires. Rather, when we have our basic needs in place, it can be a lot easier to be spontaneous and free-spirited with sex.
That’s a lot to look at, we know. How did you do? What do you have already set, and what might you need to look into evaluating, talking about or acquiring?
Realistically, even most adults will not check every single thing on this list. But we can safely say that any person who is realistically ready for partnered genital sex should have a lot of what is on this list, as should their partner. If you can see some areas where you’re lacking, give yourself some time to think about them, maybe re-evaluate, slow down, and take extra time before you become sexually active to work on being able to say “yes” to those items. When you see weak spots in what you’ve got on the list, how about just doing some work on those? In talking to a partner who feels they’re ready, you might want to remember this list so that you can better articulate and explain in what areas you don’t feel you or they are really ready.
There isn’t a statute of limitations on your sex life, and it doesn’t begin or end with intercourse. You can initiate any level of it at any time during your life, and change what you want to do as you go along, determining at any time what is best for you, and for your partner(s). If you haven’t checked almost all of the things on those lists, take a look at the ones you didn’t check and try and figure out what you need to do for yourself right now. There is no reason to set yourself up for a fall, or rush into something that won’t be enjoyable or rewarding, when it isn’t going to go away if you wait. Be honest with yourself, and above all else, do what is right for YOU.
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Saturday, March 14th, 2009
Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to acyclovir or valacyclovir (Valtrex). Before taking acyclovir, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney disease. You may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment. FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Herpes virus can be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth. If you have genital herpes, it is very important to prevent herpes lesions during your pregnancy so that you do not have a genital lesion when your baby is born. Acyclovir passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Do not take this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
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