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A member asked:
Can genital herpes pass on to baby by birth?
2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Yes: If you have an genital outbreak and deliver vaginally, yes you can pass it to baby. Best prevention is to take Valtrex (valacyclovir) 500 mg once daily in the last month of preg. U can also pass oral herpes to baby if you have a lesion and contact the baby's skin.
Answered 2/18/2015
5.2k views
May not protect: Maternal genital herpes is a problem.Periodic flares can result in viral sheading and if this happens during delivery the virus can pass to the newborn.A neonatal encephalitis may occur within weeks with devistating consequences.Some will plan a c-section delivery prior to labor to avoid this possibility.A thorough discussion of the issue with the OB is worth having.
Answered 6/10/2014
4.6k views
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