Genital Herpes in Newborns
A pregnant woman with genital herpes may pass the infection to her newborn. Newborns are less able to cope with the disease than adults and this infection may lead to severe complications. To avoid the risk, the pregnant woman must be extra careful so that she does not contract genital herpes. At all times, she must use condoms, even if her sexual partner shows no obvious sores or blisters in the genital area. She must also avoid oral with partners who have cold sores in the lips and outer rim of the mouth.
If she already has genital herpes, she must inform her doctor so that the health professional can take steps to prevent the baby from becoming infected. In many cases, there is a high risk of passing the HSV infection to the newborn when the woman, at childbirth, is having her primary or first-time outbreak. The risk is greatly reduced when the HSV-infected woman has had her primary outbreak already.
At any rate, the doctor must know if the pregnant woman is having an outbreak during her last trimester. The last trimester begins on the 28th week of pregnancy up to the time the woman gives birth. It is during this period that the doctor will regularly check the cervix and determine whether the genital herpes virus has entered it. The woman will have cervical cultures done about every four weeks before the time of the delivery. When active HSV is indeed found, the doctor will perform a Caesarian delivery or C-section, instead of delivering the child through the vagina.
The C-section is a surgical procedure that involves the cutting across of the mother’s bottom abdomen and of the uterus. The newborn will pass through the opening made. This way, HSV infection can be avoided. But recovery from this type of delivery will take a longer time than the normal delivery. The mother will need more assistance during the first weeks after giving birth.
When the newborn is infected with the genital herpes virus, immediate treatment must be given. The HSV can cause brain infection, organ failure, and even death of the newborn. The medication acyclovir is recommended for infections that involve the skin. It must be applied intravenously for 14 days to address the blister-like rashes that appear on the eyes and mouth. If the infection has spread to the internal organs, such as the liver, brain, and heart, the intravenous acyclovis must be administered for 21 days.