how to conceive a baby with genital hsv1

[banika84]

Hello I was diagnosed with genital hsv 1 in june of 2009. I would like to know how often does type 1 actually shed because iv'e read so many different opinions and how safe is it to have a baby with genital hsv1, also my boyfriend is negative for genital hsv and oral hsv how are we suppose to conceive a baby without him catching genital hsv1? also has my body developed antibodies yet so that I can pass them on to the baby for protection?

[banika84]

Thanks for your help grace!

[gracefromHHP]

you aren't shedding the virus far more than you are.  think of it as the virus being active on average 1 day a month. what are the odds that you'd have sex on that one day out of the month?

His risk isn't any higher of contracting hsv1 orally from performing oral sex on you.

grace

[banika84]

so is it safe for us to have unprotected sex even though he is negative around the days that I am fertile or do we have to go to the doctor so I can get pregnant professionally I am just really confused on how I'm supposed to get pregnant without passing him genital hsv and how easy is it for him to catch oral hsv if he performs oral sex on me?...Thank you so much for your help.

[gracefromHHP]

your body started developing protective antibodies soon after you were infected. When you do get pregnant, you will pass them on to the baby around 28 weeks of gestation.  

Hsv1 genitally sheds about 3% of days. That's about a dozen days out of the year or so that it's active regardless of if you have obvious lesions or not.   Odds are you won't transmit your genital hsv1 to your partner or your baby but definitely discuss what precautions to take during the last month of pregnancy with your obgyn when you get to that point.

grace