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Herpes Ob during Cervical Stitching
I am 16 weeks pregnant and I had an emergency cerclage (cervical stitch) surgery. I didn't realize it at the time but I was having a herpes outbreak during the procedure (that day). I am now extremely worried about passing the virus to the baby. This is a recurrent outbreak as I have had herpes for about 1.5 years. Since this was an invasive procedure, should I be concerned of the virus traveling up into the uterus and getting to the baby/placenta. Pleas help! I'm so stressed!!!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Another comment: The symptoms you describe ("itching, burning, irritation") don't sound like herpes. Recurrent herpes always lasts only 7-14 days; always has visible sores (if there are any symptoms at all), and cannot persist for as long as your symptoms see to have done. Also, recurrent outbreaks never are more common than once a month, and between outbreaks there are no symptoms at all -- no itching, no irritation, nothing.
Talk to your new ObG provider about those symptoms -- but don't worry about herpes or your baby's health on account of HSV.
Talk to your new ObG provider about those symptoms -- but don't worry about herpes or your baby's health on account of HSV.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Good news: You don't have HSV-2 and never did. Something else caused your labial lesion 1.5 yr ago as well as the "outbreak" at the time of your cerclage a couple of weeks ago. Don't press your doctor for antiherpes therapy, since there is nothing to treat.
The IgM test for HSV antibody is unreliable; STD clinics know this and never use it, only IgG testing. As you seem to know, IgM antibody is supposed to appear first, followed by IgG antibody. It works that way for many infections -- but it doesn't reliably happen that way with HSV-2 in adults. Some infected people never develop IgM antibody, many people with longstanding herpes never lose their IgM antibody response., and on top of that, the test often gives plainly false positive results in people who do not have HSV-2, as it did in you.
This issue has been addressed many times on this forum. Use the search link and enter "IgM" for many detailed discussions.
The IgM test for HSV antibody is unreliable; STD clinics know this and never use it, only IgG testing. As you seem to know, IgM antibody is supposed to appear first, followed by IgG antibody. It works that way for many infections -- but it doesn't reliably happen that way with HSV-2 in adults. Some infected people never develop IgM antibody, many people with longstanding herpes never lose their IgM antibody response., and on top of that, the test often gives plainly false positive results in people who do not have HSV-2, as it did in you.
This issue has been addressed many times on this forum. Use the search link and enter "IgM" for many detailed discussions.
The doctor said that the amniotic sac protects the baby. So he wasn't concerned.
Also here is another question, I had a sore on my labia 1.5 years ago. The doc did a culture and IGM IGG blood test. It was 1 week after exposure. Ofcourse the IGG was negative (too soon to detect antibodies), but the IGM was positive. The culture came back negative as well. The culture was done about 72-96 hours after the sore appeared. My doctor said I had herpes and that I could but didn't need to come back later to see if I develop antibodies since I had it for sure. Now I'm seeing a new OBGYN for my pregnancy and I got him to run a IGG type specifc test again. This would be almost a year and a half later. I'm not confused because my results are as follows:
IGM- 0.34
IGG-Type I - 0.11
IGG-Type II - 0.08
Positive is considered >0.9 so I understand that the results are negative.
Now I"m so confused about the conflicting tests.
I was convinced it was a lab error so a week later I had another test done which came back negative as well.
I have not had any sores since the 1st episode so I can't go to get a culture done, but I do have what seem like prodromal symptoms. Itching, burning irritation type feeling that's mainly on one side of the labia. I'm so confused right now. I 'm especially scared since I'm pregnant and the symptoms are almost constant since I got pregnant. I'm scared for my baby more than anything. Please help.\My doc obviously won't provide treatment unless he has clinical evidence of infection. What do I do? Can pregnancy keep me from testing positive?
Also here is another question, I had a sore on my labia 1.5 years ago. The doc did a culture and IGM IGG blood test. It was 1 week after exposure. Ofcourse the IGG was negative (too soon to detect antibodies), but the IGM was positive. The culture came back negative as well. The culture was done about 72-96 hours after the sore appeared. My doctor said I had herpes and that I could but didn't need to come back later to see if I develop antibodies since I had it for sure. Now I'm seeing a new OBGYN for my pregnancy and I got him to run a IGG type specifc test again. This would be almost a year and a half later. I'm not confused because my results are as follows:
IGM- 0.34
IGG-Type I - 0.11
IGG-Type II - 0.08
Positive is considered >0.9 so I understand that the results are negative.
Now I"m so confused about the conflicting tests.
I was convinced it was a lab error so a week later I had another test done which came back negative as well.
I have not had any sores since the 1st episode so I can't go to get a culture done, but I do have what seem like prodromal symptoms. Itching, burning irritation type feeling that's mainly on one side of the labia. I'm so confused right now. I 'm especially scared since I'm pregnant and the symptoms are almost constant since I got pregnant. I'm scared for my baby more than anything. Please help.\My doc obviously won't provide treatment unless he has clinical evidence of infection. What do I do? Can pregnancy keep me from testing positive?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Probably you have no worries -- but you really have come to the wrong place. STD specialists don't have much experience managing problems like this, and I certainly do not. You need to immediately (first thing in the morning) call the doctor who did the procedure, or your obstetrician, if s/he is a different person. In general, herpes is not a threat to a baby developing in the uterus, only during delivery if a herpes outbreak is present during labor. My guess is that this procedure did not threaten the baby, but I do not know for sure. Your obstetrician will know the answer and whether to prescribe acyclovir or another anti-herpes drug to reduce whatever risk there might have been.
I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. Please return to the forum after you have been in touch with your own doctor; I will be interested to know what s/he advised. But in the meantime, try not to worry too much; most likely there is no risk to the baby.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. Please return to the forum after you have been in touch with your own doctor; I will be interested to know what s/he advised. But in the meantime, try not to worry too much; most likely there is no risk to the baby.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
