Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Question
Published: February 5, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I have herpes I on my private area and I want to now if I am able to have children when I get older. If so will I transfer the virus to the baby?
Signed: Giving Herpes To My Baby
Dear Giving Herpes To My Baby,
TeenHealthFX is sorry to hear that you have herpes, but you ask a very good and important question. The vast majority of women who have genital herpes have normal pregnancies and deliver healthy babies. Fortunately, if you have genital herpes before you become pregnant, your risk of transmitting the virus to your baby during birth is very low, provided that there are no active herpes signs or symptoms in or near the birth canal during delivery. It is actually more dangerous to the baby to get herpes for the first time during pregnancy. During the first six months of infection there are large amounts of virus that are shed and this will often come in contact with the baby during birth. Women who have long-standing herpes infections actually transmit protective antibodies to their babies during pregnancy, which helps protect them from infection, even if they are exposed to some virus while coming out through the birth canal.If you do have signs or symptoms of herpes when you go into labor, your doctor will deliver your baby by cesarean section (abdominal delivery) to protect him or her from the virus that is present during a herpes outbreak. Some doctors do a cesarean section for all women who have recurrent genital herpes, regardless of their infection state at delivery, just to be extra careful. This is something that you and your obstetrician will most likely discuss during your pregnancy.
Nearly one in every three women of childbearing age in the US today has the virus that causes genital herpes, yet less than 1 in every 2,000 newborns born to such women develops the infection. So, with the proper precautions and care during pregnancy and birth, your baby should be fine and free of herpes.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
A sexually active teenager who does not use contraceptives has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within one year. 
