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Pregnancy and Herpes???
Just a general question about herpes and pregnancy. My sister was just diagnosted with hsv2 after a post pregnancy checkup, she never had any outbreaks, lesions ect during her pregnancy..her igg was 2.53 via quest diagnostics, herpeselect i believe. Just before her pregnancy, a month or two she said she tested negative at her annual check. My question is how likely is she actually infected with hsv2. Whats odd about this, is if she acquired herpes just before her pregnancy or even during her pregnancy, wouldn't she have had a outbreak of some sort. Due to the fact her immune system is weakend and body is stressed during pregnancy. She has oral herpes hsv1, and she actually had an outbreak during labor and another hsv1 soon after she got home from the hospital.She had a c-section due to other issues duing labor, but wouldnt all that stress cause an outbreak of hsv2?? How likely is it thats shes actually infected with hsv2?? .
UPDATE..My sister had the Western Blot test performed. She was givin the run around,but after 3 weeks, she got the results and it was NEGATIVE FOR HVS2. Thanks for your expert advice..
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Nothing more to say about this at this time. If she wants to verify this, she should have the Biokit or Western Blot test EWH
Im only asking because im a concerned sister and needed insight on your thoughts. She seems very clueless to how she possibly contracted the virus. I know she dosent have hiv, but im not really too sure about her sexual activity. She had an pap smear/annual appt. before she was confirmed pregnant(she says two months before) and it was negative. That was right before she became pregnant. Then she was tested again which was a year later im guessing for another annual/pap smear appt. and this was her post pregnancy check up also.The baby is only 7 weeks old. I attend the same ob/gyn, its procedure for them to test for all stds at the time of a pap/smear. It just dosent make since to me that she wouldnt have had an outbreak during pregnancy if she acquired the virus right before she became pregnant or even during her pregnancy. Pregnancy is alot of stress on the body and alot of hormones fluctuating. But yet she had a hsv1 outbreak during and after delivery.It sparked my curiosity about the accuracy of this herpeselect test. I just needed insight on your thoughts about it. But your saying the index of hsv2 igg of 2.5, is considered low?? i will try to have her look into getting the western blot or biokit test.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. I will be pleased to provide some comments. Before I do however, I need to ask why you are asking about your sister's results. Typically when people say things like this they are just asking for themselves and embarrassed to say so. You do not provide much information about the father or your sister's child, other sexual partners and risk for HIV, etc. This information would be helpful in advising you/her. Does your sister have a regular sex partner? What about other partners? With this information I may be able to comment further.
Also, why is she having repeated HSV blood tests- this is not a usual test.
Having said this, in the absence of an outbreak, your sister's blood test results may be a test error and a false positive result. When persons have HerpeSelect values between 0.9 and less than 3.5 they are deemed to be in the "low positive range" and many of these “low positive” results turn out to be false positive on further testing. False positive tests are also more common in persons who already have HSV-1. Your sister can find out if her result is falsely positive with further test. The best way to do this is with a Western Blot test for HSV performed at the University of Washington (and nowhere else). Her doctor can arrange for a blood specimen to be sent there for testing. Alternatively, she could seek testing with a test called the BioKit. If the Biokit or UW Western Blot is negative, your sister does not have HSV-2 and her HerpeSelect result is falsely positive.
I hope these comments are helpful. EWH
Also, why is she having repeated HSV blood tests- this is not a usual test.
Having said this, in the absence of an outbreak, your sister's blood test results may be a test error and a false positive result. When persons have HerpeSelect values between 0.9 and less than 3.5 they are deemed to be in the "low positive range" and many of these “low positive” results turn out to be false positive on further testing. False positive tests are also more common in persons who already have HSV-1. Your sister can find out if her result is falsely positive with further test. The best way to do this is with a Western Blot test for HSV performed at the University of Washington (and nowhere else). Her doctor can arrange for a blood specimen to be sent there for testing. Alternatively, she could seek testing with a test called the BioKit. If the Biokit or UW Western Blot is negative, your sister does not have HSV-2 and her HerpeSelect result is falsely positive.
I hope these comments are helpful. EWH
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.
