I have genital herpes and I want to make the best decision for my baby. This is my first pregnancy. My dr said as long as I don't have any symptoms I can deliver vaginally however I know nothing is 100%. I have been on Valtrex for the past two years but I often have some itchy symptoms. However it is not an outbreak with sores. My husband and I are leaning more towards having a c-section because of the itchiness I experience. Since hearing about the mother who possibly killed her own baby with a kiss or delivering vaginally I am really afraid of something happening to my baby. Does anyone have any experience or advice?
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Hi Tiffany,
I have no experience with this but did want to offer some words of encouragement. I had to have a c-section for a completely different reason and really fought it the whole way. In the end, it was best for the baby to arrive this way. My suggestion is to listen to your gut...your mommy instincts will tell you what is best for you to do. I would also suggest that you speak with a Doula. I used one who was fabulous and very knowledgable about a lot of off the way pregnancy related complications and scenarios. I can give you her contact information if you would like. Just send me a message. It wouldn't hurt to just have a conversation with her about it. She might be able to advise you better and provide you with some real life examples fo similiar situations. Good Luck!
Jennifer
I have genital herpes( with frequent episodes) and delivered both my children naturally.With my second I took Zovirax or acyclovir for the last period, may be last the 2-3 weeks just to be sure. You can do all the things to lesson the chance of out break and then add extra resistance with acyclovir if needed. I personally don't use drugs or mediaction of any kind,but found it worth it to do this.....my births were incredibly beautiful empowering experiences which both my babies and I enjoyed, and I would not want to have missed them. Write if you have any more questions. Women dread birth in this culture, but birth can be wonderful.
Paula.
Hi Tiffany,
I, too, was in the same boat. My concern was that with the stress of delivery, I would have an outbreak anyway. And new studies show that people can transmit it even if there is no visible outbreak. I ended up having a C-Section due to my daughter being breech, which made it much easier not to have to decide. There is nothing wrong with having a C-Section to protect your baby. Just be aware that some people may ask why you did not have a regular delivery, since people seem to have boundary issues when it comes to other people's pregnancies!
Good luck!
Hello,
I had a friend back in high school who had genital herpes and gave vaginal birth to a health baby girl. I still talk to her now and then. Her baby seems to be fine. I asked her about her symptoms and she said that her daughter did not contract anything from birth.
Always check with your OB for their suggestion and advice. But, everything is utimately up to you to decide.
I had vaginal birth with my first child and it was the best experience of my life. C-section is good only if you have to do it.
Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck!!!!
I, too, just took Acyclovir few weeks before my baby was born. I would have had a vaginal delivery but didn't due to other reasons.
I didn't want a vaginal delivery because I was worried about the herpes but there is a very low chance of the baby contracting herpes from you. Even a low chance is still scary though.
Hi Tiffany,
Just like many of the others here I took medication, Zovirax, two week before the birth of my son and he is fine. Speak with your MD and see what they think. Good Luck!
I worked at a birth center and we had many, many moms who delivered vaginally with herpes. Obviously if they had an outbreak, they would have to have a section, but none of them did. Even those who would treat their outbreaks with "natural remedies" (when non-pregnant) were willing to go on Acyclovir at 36 weeks until delivery to prevent an outbreak.
You would not believe the number of people with herpes who deliver vaginally. It's not exactly rare. It all comes down to if you are having an outbreak or not, and with Acyclovir your chances are very good you can have your vaginal birth.
Those with herpes sores on their faces have to be even more vigilant as they must be careful not to transmit while they care for their babies.
Obviously, if you decide to have a c-section, that is your choice, but I wanted to assure you that there are ways to eliminate transmitting to your child (like taking Acyclovir)
Either way you go, my suggestion is to WAIT until you go into labor naturally. Don't schedule a C-section. Wait until you go into labor/water breaks and see if you have an outbreak. If you are not confident then go to the hospital and get your C-Section. The Dr won't like this b/c it may interfere with his golf game or ruin her plans. Dr's like to schedule so they can see more patients and plan their lives. Your baby's well-being is more important than their keeping a schedule. When your baby is ready you will go into labor and can have a C-Section then. Your baby's respiratory system will be mature enough and you may have a better chance breast-feeding too. That is my advice :-)
I have herpes & delivered both our boys vaginally. It had been many years since I'd had an outbreak or symptoms but I still voiced the same concern to my OB both times & she we'd just have to cross that bridge if & when we came to it. So, I say, plan on the vaginal birth & c-section only if your OB recommends. I agree w/the woman who said to not plan your c-section but go into labor naturally & then opt for the c-section if needed. Best of luck!
Hi Tiffany,
I have genital herpes and I delivered my daughter vaginally. I have never had a bad outbreak or noticeable symptoms. I only found out I had it when I passed it on to my (now) husband, who was a virgin when we met. He was not so lucky and has had several outbreaks. In any case we were both still very concerned about the safety of vaginal birth and our doula and doctor both made me feel very confident that a vaginal birth would be safe for us as long as I did not have an outbreak. Luckily I did not, and was thrilled because bringing my baby into the world is without a doubt my most amazing accomplishment.
Good luck!
Be open and honest with your OB. A vaginal birth can be perfectly fine if you are not experiencing an outbreak. You can be checked at the time of labor. If you have sores, then a c-section should be performed. Congratulations on your upcoming birth and good luck.
Your Dr. can give you medication to prevent symptoms from coming near the end of your pregnancy. I believe it is Valtrax and is safe to take. Talk to your Dr. about it. Good luck and have a vaginal birth if you don't have an outbreak, it is a wonderful experience and should be safe for your baby. Good luck!
Have a vaginal birth. Your doctor will be able to see if you have any sores. You can take acyclovir during the last 2 months of your pregnancy to prevent an outbreak. A c-section should lways be the last resort. I have never had a problem at all during my pregnancies or births. At the end of your pregnancy you see your doctor or midwife so frequently that if there is any doubt, you can get confirmation right away and then explore the possibility of a c-section if necessary.
The only thing I know is that an old work friend of mine had genital herpes and had a baby vaginally. The baby got it in her eyes. That's a horrible thing, but I don't know how often things like that actually happen. Also, I don't know if she had any symptoms at the time.
I have a friend who is was in the same situation. She was given Valtrex to take everyday the last two months or so of her pregnancy which helped prevent outbreaks. she said the doctor said it was safe to take and she was able to deliver naturally. No issues...
I don't have any experience with std's but I have a 10 month old baby girl who I delivered by a planned csection. (I had back surgery the year before so since my back was still healing, I did not have a choice to allow the baby to come down my 'canal' which could cause another back surgery if it would have been more then my back could handle)
SO I made the choice ahead of time & it came down to doing what was best for the baby. It was a hard choice, at first, because I too wanted to deliver 'naturally' BUT when it came down to it, especially @ the end when I was feeling huge & very uncomfortable, I just wanted her out of me & how she got out I didn't care...haha
After I made the decision, during pregnancy to do the csection, I decided that I had nothing to prove to anyone, I needed to do what was best for my own body & the baby so that when she got here I could be the best Mom that I could be to her.
Just with what you said above, I wouldn't chance it-how horrible would you feel if you did give it to her & then a naturally crying newborn-as all of them do-would turn into a painfully crying newborn & you wouldn't be able to help those crys...& for me any crying was hard, in the beginning, it is hard to get used to the fact that newborns cry often & as a new parent there is a learning period until you know what works to help your baby stop crying...BTW: the dvd the happiest baby on the block' saved my husband & I...it really teaches new parents techniques that help calm your baby from crying-I wish I had watched it before she arrived & then when she was here rather then just when she was here & a month in we were breaking down from the sleep deprivation & crying....
anyhow just wanted to share that I too, had to make the decision & I did what was 'best' for both of us & it worked out fine. Either delivery has it's good & bad. Labor & vaginal delivery is horrible pain but csection is stomach surgery-6 layers so recovery is difficult more so then the delivery...if you want to know more about my csection-send me a message...but regardless of all of this, congratulations! A baby is truly one of life's best gifts. I wouldn't trade my little angel for the world. It is the hardest 24/7 job that I have ever had & the 'singular' life will never be had again, but watching her grow & become her own each day is priceless. The love I feel for her is incomparable & indescribable... Enjoy
My youngest godchild was born naturally, in spite of her mom's herpes. She's fine.
I think it's a pretty common thing to do.
Does your doctor have any statistics for you that would help you make a decision?
Tiffany, I think you are over exaggerating the risk. I had genital herpes once in 1976, and didn't test positive for it during my pregnancy in 1982, and I delivered vaginally without any trouble for my son. A c-section is major surgery. I would advise you to try to deliver vaginally unless you have symptoms during childbirth. Only have a c-section if it is medically indicated.