worst news ever!!:(

[momi2B23]

So today was my 29th week prenatal appointment and i had pain down below so i got checked out and doc wasnt sure but i could have herpes!! The test results come in next week, for now she gave me medicine to help pain in all. How ever if i still have herpes or even if i do by labor time i would needa get a c Section:( this really ruined my day its depressiyng . I was wondering if this happened to any of u ladys or have u heard anything about itt??

[gracefromHHP]

since it's the 3rd trimester, you can't wait for lesion culture results and blood testing has a higher false negative rate too unfortunately :(  Her and her partner getting the testing done I recommended will help hopefully figure out if it's likely she has genital herpes and if it's likely to have been recently acquired or not. unfortunately herpes igg blood testing isn't a part of routine std testing nor is it a part of routine pregnancy testing :(    The window of opportunity for getting the much needed answers is pretty small once it gets to this point in pregnancy.  Since protective antibodies are transmitted to the baby around 28 weeks of gestation, when herpes is acquired during the 3rd trimester, you have to be more aggressive to protect the baby.

also regular forum posters - never hesitate to refer anyone with any std related questions during pregnancy over to the herpes or std forum :)  I'm perfectly comfortable with pregnancy and std questions!  same as the moderators noticed this post and asked me to stop by, you can drop me a pm with a link to post if you want me to stop in too :)

[rosey117]

Great information Grace!

[AnnieBrooke]

That was such helpful information.  The original poster is still waiting for the results from her test, she doesn't know for sure it is herpes yet.  But if her results are positive, will the doctor be able to tell from those results if the infection is recently acquired or not?  Or will she need to ask the doctor to run some more tests to figure that out?

[gracefromHHP]

I was asked to stop in and chime in on this post. I am the CL of the herpes forum and will try to remember to check this post over the next few days.  Don't hesitate to post on the herpes forum where I'll be sure to see your question and any follow up replies :)

since this is the start of your 3rd trimester, confirming your status and trying to figure out if this is a newly acquired infection or not for you is very important!!  Find out if you've ever been tested for herpes before. also your partner will need tested too to know their status to help us narrow down when you were infected if indeed you do have genital herpes.  Give the clinic a call monday and find out if your lesion culture is back or not. Also if you weren't ever tested for herpes before, ask them to please order you type specific herpes igg blood testing to be done this week!! getting accurate blood testing for herpes in your 3rd trimester can be difficult due to the normal hemodilution of pregnancy unfortunately.   Since lesion cultures have a high false negative rate, you and your partner getting the blood work done this week will also be helpful.

if it's determined that this is a newly acquired infection for you, because it's your 3rd trimester, a c section is advised regardless of if you have active symptoms or not at the time of delivery. also some follow up ultrasounds might also be recommended too if this is a newly acquired infection for you.   what medication were you given? what dose and for how long?

if it's determined that this isn't a recently acquired herpes infection for you and just your first obvious recurrence of a prior infection, then it's recommended that you only have  a c section if you have active genital lesions at the time of delivery or in the days leading up to delivery. You can take daily suppressive therapy in the pregnancy doses to try to help ward off a recurrence for the time of delivery.  No obvious symptoms at the time of delivery and the risk of transmitting genital herpes to your  baby during delivery is less than 1%.  

did they also test you for other infections vaginally when you were seen?

hang in there!!  This isn't the worst news ever but it isn't something anyone ever wants to have to deal with during pregnancy when you are excited about your new baby that will be here in a few months. You can get through this and once you are able to provide more info, I can help you and your provider with what to do next :)

grace

[RikaReek]

As many hve said yhu wont need a csection unless yhu hve an outbreak & yhu shldnt bc thet usually give yhu medicine during your 3rd trimester. Also you kan hve herpes for years without knowing & there is two type. When they test for std's they dnt test for herpes you have to ask & if they do you still wouldnt knw unless you have an outbreak which usually is a painful bump on your vagina which culd last up to two weeks with your first outbreak. Usually if you hve anotha outbreak it wont last as long. I pray that you dont but if you do hve herpes you will b ok & your bby : ) & plz dnt stress that can cause you to hve mre outbreaks.

[hansen20]

i have herpies (got it from my ed) and i never had an out break of it. but it is a std and it will never go away you have it for the rest of your life, there is no cure for it but only treatment for it. i was pregnant with my exes baby but miscarried.this last pregnancy i wanted a natural birth but had a csection instead but if i wanted to have a natural birth they gave me medicine for it to keep me from breaking out. i sure hope you dont have it hun. i have heard it does hurt but i still dont have it and its been 14 months or 18 months since i had it but i found out i had it june 30th of 2011.

[rosey117]

Very informative information given. I didn't know half of the stuff your posted and I do research but I never had a std or even a yeast infection in my life. It's good that ppl can turn someone worst moment into a happy moment with good information and support. I honestly thought that your Dr gives you testing for std's and HIV in the beginning and the towards the ending of your pregnancy. Keep the support coming ladies

[Emily_MHManager]

Hi ladies -

Let's keep the comments relevant to momi2B23's questions about herpes and pregnancy.  

Thanks,

Emily

[sopheng]

I too have suffered a miscarriage and it was the hardest time in mine and my partners life's to deal with. However in saying this rebelmama 86 your comments that followed are not called for. This is  a forum for helping people for seeking assistance and answers not putting people down. I think maybe next time think before you post as this is obviously a confusing a sad time for this woman there's absolutely no need to kick someone when their down.

[DNP47]

Herpes is very common, my sister in law has it and she got it from oral sex when her partner had a cold sore, it's scary how easily it is transmitted. She has 3 kids and had all of them vaginally with no problems. I don't know if she was on valtrex or alcyclovir but she took it while pregnant and luckily didn't have outbreak at the time of delivery.

Good luck, this is not the end of the world by any means. The baby will only be exposed if an outbreak coincides with the delivery. Have an in depth discussion with your doctor to discuss the risks.

[Momeetobe89]

You dont have to have a c section unless you have an outbreak at the time of delivery. They should have offered to give you anti virals starting at 36 weeks to help prevent a break out during that time.

[stacey10]

as others have said, you will only need a c-section if you have an active outbreak at the time you go into labour, things like stress etc can trigger an outbreak and also getting run down as well, so if you can make sure you have a really good diet and try not to let little things stress you out, it is actually a very common std, I think 1 in 3 or 5 people have it, so while its a pain to have contracted it many people have it and still have active/healthy lives :) I suggest you get some info on it and read up as much as you can so your well informed incase the tests come back as positive :)

[jbrown8700]

Yeah I have it, n no idea how I did, hvnt had outbreak since first one year ago. I kno it *****...but only have c section if breakout still there during labor as it very harmful to baby. But they can last up to a month or so. But meds wrk quick n since they gave u meds already that good. Dont worry n some people are just carriers of hsv and some nvr breakout n even with blood tests sometimes wont show up as it hides very well inside body. But since this first one u got n only been with one guy in more then 6 months may be him. Never will kno for sure, as I dont still. Dont worry too much hu.. I could tell right away cuz my lymph nodes down there were sore n swollen.

[mrsmckee]

You only gotta have a c section if you have an outbreak. My doc told me my test.results as how that I have herpes but I've never had any kind of signs or anything. They got me on valtrex to make sure I don't have an outbreAk when it's labor time. I know you're heartbroken cause I felt the same way....I was in shock but it's ok.....at least it's not aids. and I don't tell people this cause they automatically assume I'm,a **** which is wrong. I just was fooled by someone a year before my husband came along.....I was young and naive. But keep your head up, take your medicine and it'll all be ok.

[AnnieBrooke]

Well, though it is not exactly cheerful news, please know that on a pregnancy forum, this isn't the "worst news ever" that a person could have, please take some comfort in that.  Some ladies lose their baby, and my cousin recently lost her life to deep-vein thrombosis in childbirth.

If 1) you do have herpes, and 2) you have an active outbreak at labor time, you will need a C-section.  I didn't think a C-section was that hard.  (Of course, I had labored for 27 hours by then, maybe that had something to do with it.  lol)  It was inconvenient and uncomfortable and a painful to get over in the first couple of days, but they manage you with meds and you can get over it pretty fast.  

As for the herpes, do you really think the doctor is right?  Does it sound plausible, i.e., would you have a good idea of where you might have gotten it?  If not, maybe it isn't really herpes.

Cross those bridges when you come to them.  I'll cross my fingers for you.

[rosey117]

Wow! Did they check for herpes or any std's in the beginning of your pregnancy

[ricoswifex30s]

Herpes is an std are you wondering how you could have got this? Like from who...this is tuff cuz if you do have it its def a C section for you..good luck.