Genital herpes and pregnancy have a strong connection with one another.

Pregnant women who are contracting genital herpes are more likely to pass on the genital herpes infection to their unborn child. This is one of the biggest fears amongst expectant mothers.

Shedding stage

Genital herpes and pregnancy pose more complications for the unborn child simply because if a pregnant woman is shedding at the time of delivery or labor the virus could easily be transmitted to the child. If this is the first time you are getting a genital herpes infection, it increases the risks of transmitting it to your child even more!

The shedding stage of the herpes simplex virus or HSV is when the virus becomes active, reaches the skin surface and starts multiplying. This is the most contagious stage of a genital herpes infection.

Vaginal or cesarean delivery

Most women who are pregnant fear that normal delivery would not be possible with a genital herpes and pregnancy combination. However, it all depends on the situation at hand. For example, if if you have had the genital herpes infection the first time before the third trimester or before you became pregnant and if there are no symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak once labor starts or your water breaks you could go through with a normal vaginal delivery.

In such a situation, there are minimal risks associated with transmitting the genital herpes infection to your child. Since your body has already begun to produce antibodies once the first genital herpes infection occurred, your baby will also have the immunity to fight the infection.

An exception to this case could be when you still have genital herpes infection or lesions once the water breaks. If your baby is premature at this stage your physician could postpone your delivery to help your baby develop more.

In the meanwhile, you could be undergoing an antiviral dosage in treating genital herpes. Most physicians recommend that women with genital herpes and pregnancy undergo antiviral medication for a period of 36 weeks until they deliver the baby. This helps curtail a genital herpes outbreak once labor starts.

Breastfeeding issues

Mothers to be who have genital herpes and pregnancy might worry about breastfeeding and if it is feasible. If you have a genital herpes outbreak you can still breastfeed your baby as long as there are no lesions located on the breast. You need to cover any lesions located on other parts of the body and ensure you wash your hands thoroughly. If only one breast has lesions you can use the other breast to feed your baby.

Precautions to take

If you have cold sores and genital herpes symptoms do not kiss your baby. Only do so once the sores have disappeared completely. You should also wear disposable surgical masks to keep the sore covered.

Make sure you follow this process until the sore has formed a scab and dried completely. If cold sores and genital herpes conditions keep persisting try opting for antiviral medication to keep genital herpes outbreak at bay.