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Is Vaginal Birth Advisable When Suffering From Genital Herpes?

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Posted on Mon, 7 Apr 2014
Question: Hi, im 39 weeks pregnant today i got diagnosed with genital herpes before i got pregnant and have an outbreak at the minute, my midwife thinks that ill be okay to have a vaginal birth even if i have an outbreak at the time of labour. Is this correct? As in really worried itll harm my baby
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Answered by Dr. Cori Baill (26 minutes later)
Brief Answer: You should not deliver vaginally if you have not healed Detailed Answer: The baby does not have an immunity to herpes. If you have an active lesion you're shedding enough viral particles to infect the baby and you should be delivered by cesarean section. You can discuss with your midwive's supervising obstetrician gynecologist as to whether he would recommend you begin antiviral therapy now. At 39 weeks you may have enough time to recover from this lesion before delivery. Perhaps that is what your midwife was trying to tell you. If it has completely healed over it is fine to deliver vaginally but if the lesion is still there you should you should deliver by cesarean for the sake of the baby. Medicine will help this to heal more quickly.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Dr. Cori Baill

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Practicing since :1985

Answered : 236 Questions

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Is Vaginal Birth Advisable When Suffering From Genital Herpes?

Brief Answer: You should not deliver vaginally if you have not healed Detailed Answer: The baby does not have an immunity to herpes. If you have an active lesion you're shedding enough viral particles to infect the baby and you should be delivered by cesarean section. You can discuss with your midwive's supervising obstetrician gynecologist as to whether he would recommend you begin antiviral therapy now. At 39 weeks you may have enough time to recover from this lesion before delivery. Perhaps that is what your midwife was trying to tell you. If it has completely healed over it is fine to deliver vaginally but if the lesion is still there you should you should deliver by cesarean for the sake of the baby. Medicine will help this to heal more quickly.