Maternal to child transmission

Hi, this is my first question so here goes nothing I guess...

I am 28 years old and almost 2 years ago my mother revealed to me that she was diagnosed with Herpes.  She told me that she's not sure how long she's had it, but that she thinks she's had it since the 70's and before her and my dad were married.  She told me that she asked her gynecologist about it back then and they didn't know what it was and so I guess it's a little too late now.  Well, ever since she was diagnosed with it I have stressed about whether she may have given it to my sister or I when we were born.  I was just recently diagnosed with Herpes in July and I was devastated.  There's no way to tell how long I've had it, but I thought that I may have had it anyway because when I was around 18 I would get itchy inflammations once or twice a year that would resolve in about 2-3 days.  I'm married and my husband could care less that I have it because it hasn't affected him yet.  We've been married for 4 years and we've never used condoms.  I have started to take daily suppression therapy with Valtrex just to lower the chances since we don't use them also.

What I'm wondering is if my mother could have given it to me when I was born since she didn't know that she had it??  And also since my husband hasn't ever had any symptoms is it possible that he doesn't have it and how much will the Valtrex minimize his chances of getting it from me??

Thank you in advance for any response.

[ABE648]

First of all I am not a medical professional just someone like you on the board who has read a lot of posts and learned from them as best as I can.  Were you sexually active at age 18 when you had these problems you describe  if so you could have gotten it back then from someone. From what I have been able to glean you  could have gotten it from you mother but again from what I have read from the knowledge they have now if you get herpes from your mother now you will get a really high fever and they will take steps to look after the herpes but I do not think it stays in your system. So since you have herpes then it is most likely since you have been sexually active. I am only telling you what I know  and someone may correct me.

Of people that test for herpes and find out that they have it 90% had no idea they had it.  People can have herpes for years and be asymptomatic and have no idea they can transmit it. So If he gets tested then you will know if  he has herpes or not. .

In regards to your husband if he has herpes the only way to find out for sure is to get him to get a herpes IgG antibody blood test for HSV 1 and 2.

For more info read the Herpes Handbook & watch the counseling DVD for free at http://www.westoverheights.com/genital_herpes/handbook/view_the_chapters.html

[ABE648]

PS. The Valtrex will drop his chances of getting herpes from 4% to 2 % over a year if you are not using condoms. Provided you do not have sex whne you have an outbreak.

[soonergirl80]

Thank you for responding.  I read the handbook last night and it helped a lot with some other questions that I had.  Plus, I'm pretty sure I got this all on my own I was just curious if since they didn't know what it was back then if it could have possibly come from my mother too.  

Thanks!

[gracefromHHP]

If you had contracted genital herpes from your mother during birth, you wouldn't have contracted it genitally. You also would've been visibly ill and required hospitalization.  You picked it up the same way mom did - from having sex ( eeeeeeewwwwwwww mom having sex....he he he ).

grace

[soonergirl80]

Ha ha!!  That's kind of disturbing.  Alrighty, well thank you for the info!!

[ABE648]

I was quite sure you did not get it from your mom but did not know how to explain it and really do not have the knowledge of Grace.

She always has her fact straight. And she always knows how to explain it so nice..

Thank you grace

[gracefromHHP]

You're not having nightmares about your parents having sex now too abe? he he he   I KNOW my folks never did it - my dad used to tell the world so all the time....lol

grace

[ABE648]

I was just reading some old posts and came accross your last post and I had my chuckle for the day. My parents never even talked about such things. I am sure they never had sex though but how do you explain 6 childern? he he he.