Herpes During Pregnancy: avoid tragedy

Herpes during pregnancy can have tragic consequences and result in the loss of a child. But at the same time in medical practice many women with genital herpes has successfully nurture the pregnancy and give birth to healthy babies ..

The primary episode of genital herpes

Pregnancy is a kind of stress for the woman's body, in which there is a serious hormonal changes hormonal and physiological processes. Defense mechanisms thus usually weaker, resulting in a risk pregnancies are often acute latent infections, including herpes genitals.

Doctors distinguish primary episode of genital herpes, as well as recurrent genital herpes during pregnancy . And in fact, and in another case, the disease has certain characteristics and symptoms, and besides - varies by severity of its effects on pregnancy, the health of the woman and the fetus.

On initial episode it comes, if a woman before this case was never relapse Genital herpes and the body has not yet developed protective antibodies to the infection. The problem is that the difference between a primary episode of genital herpes in the first recurrence of the visible symptoms of genital herpes is sometimes very difficult. The fact is that the recurrence of genital herpes can flow virtually asymptomatic, especially if occurs within female genitals. Its manifestations are often perceived as a harmless irritation, and a woman may not even suspect that the ill. but during pregnancy On the background of physiological decline immunity recurrent herpes can manifest itself in the form of well-marked symptoms - for example, visible rash on the labia, clitoris, perineum, accompanied by itching, burning, blistering, crusts, etc.

To distinguish a primary episode of genital herpes in the first recurrence with visible symptoms, a woman should donate blood to check for antibodies to HSV-1 and 2. The index Ig G (immunoglobulin G) will mean that herpes - recurrent. His absence in the analysis is that the woman in case of primary genital herpes.

The primary episode of genital herpes   It carries a great danger to the pregnant woman Because her body is not protecting antibodies. If infection occurs during the first trimester, it is usually a woman loses a child, there is a probability of hitting the developing organs of the fetus. It is also a very high risk of abnormalities when the infection occurs during the third trimester of pregnancy. The infection in this case is fraught with lesions of the nervous system of the fetus, skin, liver, and spleen.

Fortunately, such cases in obstetric practice are extremely rare. And as a prevention for women planning a pregnancy, you should be screened for the presence of virus in the mucous genitals, determine the presence and level of antibodies to a dangerous infection and, if necessary, receive treatment.

For treatment Genital herpes   at pregnant women   used drugs acyclovir   and valacyclovir. According to the Center for Disease Control (USA), the use of women during pregnancy, these antiviral drugs are highly effective in preventing infection of the newborn, and has no negative effect on fetal development.

The preparation acyclovir is the founder of antiherpetic drugs - blockers of viral DNA synthesis. Antiviral action has an active metabolite of acyclovir - acyclovir triphosphate, which is produced in cells infected with the herpes virus. Inhibiting viral DNA-polymerase, acyclovir triphosphate blocks viral DNA synthesis. The drug has a very low toxicity, since no effect on DNA polymerase activity of human cells and healthy cells.

Comparable clinical efficacy to acyclovir and valacyclovir, and give famciclovir . However, the results of valacyclovir and famciclovir during pregnancy are of a preliminary nature and can not be the basis for their regular use. In particular, the use of Famvir in women during pregnancy and breastfeeding is recommended, provided that the possible benefits of treatment to the mother outweighs the potential risk is not to the fetus and child.

Retsidiruyuschy genital herpes during pregnancy

There is an opinion that genital herpes   capable of provoking pathological processes in the body of a pregnant woman, in particular, to cause the placenta and placental insufficiency, which occurs when inflammation of the placenta and the fetus through the placenta does not get the required oxygen and nutrients. This is misleading. Numerous clinical studies have not confirmed the pathogenic action of herpes viruses to cross the placenta in patients with recurrent genital herpes. Following the outbreak of herpes, which happened in the lives of women before pregnancy, her body had developed protective antibodies that are transferred through the placenta from mother to fetus and protects it. Even in cases where there is an infection and rashes on the skin, in the appointment of herpes antiviral drugs can usually be cured and deadly threat to the health of the child is not.

Select the drug, concrete pregnant and safe for her and the unborn child should lead the patient to a gynecologist. In addition to antiviral drugs, he may appoint and preparations strengthening the immune system of a pregnant woman, especially stimulating the production of interferon. Possible to use a human immunoglobulin.

If, during the period of pregnancy and before delivery genital herpes is in remission, and no relapses, the woman can give birth in any observational or obstetric department of any hospital. If, after 36 weeks of pregnancy relapse, it is best to consult a specialist clinic where women will be provided special monitoring.

Worse, if genital herpes during pregnancy   acute and localized lesions on the cervix or in the genital tract. This can lead to infection of the baby during delivery. In such cases, as a rule, delivery is carried out by Caesarean section.

In the last weeks before delivery, it is desirable to carry out follow-up study on herpes. If four weeks before delivery in pregnant cervical mucus is detected twice HSV antigen, delivery should be carried out by Caesarean section routinely, otherwise the risk of having a baby with herpes during passage through the birth canal increases dramatically.

Pregnancy and Gynecology

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