Question:
Hi! I can tell this board is fairly slow right now, but I thought I would post this anyhow incase someone else happened along...

My boys were infected with hsv1 when they were born. I am eager to find other families who went through this experience also. My husband and I were incredibly blessed in that our two boys survived this awful disease!!! But I would love to share support with anyone who has or is going through this.

if you would like to get in touch, you can email me at hsvmom@ev1.net. Also, there is a new yahoo group called neonatal herpes.

Answer:
I'm glad to hear your sons are doing good. Can I ask how they got it? The reason I'm asking is 8 years ago I was diagnosed w/ type 1 genital herpes (got it from a cold sore during oral sex) and I've had 1 outbreak since (that was 4 years ago). And I'm just concerned about passing it on to my children (when we have kids) and whether or not I should do surpress therapy, etc.

Answer:
Statistically, 85% of babies with neonatal herpes contracted the virus from the mother, so we assume that i had it. It would have had to have been a primary infection during the last two months of my pregnancy, but I was in the hospital during that whole time for preterm labor. So, it's one of those things we just aren't likely to ever know for sure. But I am okay with it if I have it, as long as they are well now! They were born vaginally. One had internal monitors in his scalp. The little pin pricks they left behind were the first sites of his lesions. The other was delivered with forceps as a last ditch effort to avoid an emergency csection. Both of those things added to their risk of contracting the herpes.

I think it is wise that you are concerned about passing it on, but I wouldn't say you need to be any more than that...concerned. Please don't let it worry you when the time comes! Had we already known that I had hsv, then my babies would have never contracted it! I would have gone on suppressive therapy and I would have refused internal monitors and forceps, even though that would have meant a csection. You can have a healthy vaginal delivery and a healthy baby! The highest risk is to women who don't know they have herpes and/or have a primary infection during their last trimester. In your case, where you know you already have herpes, your chances of passing on herpes to your children are as low as 1%! If you check out some of the statistics at the March of Dimes for other complications, you'll see that this is INCREDIBLY low!

I would definately want suppressive therapy if I got pregnant again, but it is somewhat controversial. Some doctors will prescribe it, some won't. Sitting down and discussing it with your ob/gyn when the time comes will help you to make the decision with your doc.

Answer:
I was pregnant when I contracted hsv...the same way you did...oral sex while my husband had a coldsore. I was 6 mos preg when I broke out..violently broke out I might ad. I never even so much as had a cold sore in my life. My son was born c-section..just because my our first was born that way and I was having my tubes tied. My son is healthy as a horse. Nothing wrong with him at all. No cold sores or anything.
Good luck

Del.

Answer:
That is SO great! Well, it is great that your son is a healthy boy...not that you contracted herpes of course.

I feel like I'm sure this isn't said much, but I WISH I had an outbreak while I was pregnant! That way we would have known I had contracted it and could have prevented it for my sons.

Either I am very ignorant, which I would like to think isn't the case, or there is not enough education out there for pregnant women. I had no idea that i should avoid oral sex with my husband (who has herpes) during my last trimester. That's not how I got it though, since I was on pelvic rest during my entire pregnancy and I was in the hospital for all of my 3rd trimester.

Anyhow...like I said, that is so good that you little boy was healthy.

we are starting to discuss the possibility of having a second, but the thought of going through that again is awful. but it's pretty unlikely it would happen again...

Answer:
There just isnt enough education on this. The information is there, but its a lack of informing people. In health class in school..11 years ago..all that was said about herpes was that when you get it it's for life. Then they moved on to other stds. People are ignorant cause they just dont know. We were the same way..how are you to know unless someone tells you? I'll tell ya..when my boys are old enough to start messin around..before even, Im sitting them down at this computer and I'm going to SHOW them what can happen to them. Maybe I'll scare them into keeping it in their pants for awhile..LOL

Answer:
Delilah,

I have said the same thing you just did from the day I found out I had H. I have a 6 year old son and I'll be darn sure that he is educated about everything that is out there. It was the same when I was in school, they never spent a lot of time on herpes, the big thing was HIV at that time. Which is understandable but NOT acceptable at all. Maybe if the kids in school knew more about H they would think twice about what they are doing when deciding to have sex.

Jessalyn