Question:
Ok, so I was diagnosed last year during my pregnancy with my daughter with HSV... not the firse ob but the second. First one misdiagnosed. Now I'm 37w2d, and yesterday at my dr appt, i was having contractions. My dr couldn't tell if it was active labor or just BH contractions, so I was sent to the hospital for a few hours of monitoring and fluids. It turned out to be BH, no cervidcal changes. I informed him at that time that I was having some tingling, and was worried that I was starting an ob. He looked and thinks that yes, I might be. He put me on Brethine to slow the contractions and on Valtrex for the ob... he's trying to hold me off until we get the ob under control before we deliver the baby even though he is developed well and would be okay to deliver now. My husband and my mother are the only ones who know about my diagnosis. If I do have to have a c-section, what do I tell the rest of the family as to why they're doing that instead of vaginal? I have two daughters, both vaginal deliveries, and I can't think of a reason to tell them. I will NOT let them know the truth for SURE! What do you think? And should I be freaking out about the section, cause I sure am!!!
Thank you
Heather

Answer:
Hi nurse mom
I'm also a nurse-mom with genital herpes. My son was born scheduled by C-section because I had a positive herpes cervical culture a 38 weeks.
First of all, you don't owe people details about your medical history..it's a private matter...However well meaning people do ask why you had a C-section.
THis is what I told people who I didn't want to know about my status. . It's a little white lie but that's okay because nobody gets hurt by it. :wink: I told them I had a vaginal culture for strep B that came back positive. My doctor and I decided it was best to schedule a C-section because of the danger to the baby. I'm sure being a nurse you are aware that many women harbor this bacteria as part of their normal flora.. but when babies are infected with Step B via vaginal delivery it causes sepsis and death..very tragic. Strep B is not an STD so no stigma attatched.