Herpes during pregnancy: symptoms, treatment, types

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Appearance of characteristic rashes on the skin and mucous membranes means activation of the herpes virus. Infection enters the body by airborne, sexual and generic pathways, until a certain point the infected person does not know about its existence. According to statistics, 50% of people worldwide are carriers of the disease. In a weakened organism, the virus begins to multiply, its cells reach the human DNA and distort the information that has arrived.

Herpes during pregnancy covers just two living organisms: a woman and a developing fetus. Immediately after the conception of the child, the female body directs all its defenses to its support. Immunity of a woman falls, which increases the risk of infection or activation of the infection already present in the body.

Types of herpes

Herpetic infection includes more than 100 different individuals of the virus, but only 8 of them can comfortably live in the human body. To date, 5 types of herpes are widely distributed. Depending on the variety of the virus, the disease is classified by the location of a specific rash.

1. Simple or herpes of type 1.A rash in the form of small vesicles appears mainly on the lips, in the nose and on the mucous membranes. Infection occurs by direct contact with the mucous membrane of a sick person. Herpes on the lips can appear even after a normal kiss.
2. Herpes 2 types. Itchy vesicles spread in the region of the genitals and anus. Genital herpes enters the body from an infected sexual partner.
3. Zoster virus. This type of herpes is expressed in the appearance of shingles, mainly localized on one part of the body.
4. Type 4 virus. Absence of symptoms makes this virus quite dangerous for a person of any age. It is the trigger mechanism for diseases such as mononucleosis, hepatitis and cancer.
5. Cytomegalovirus. When infecting with type 5, skin lesions do not occur. Internal organs suffer most often and then in case of serious problems with health. Infection is deadly for newborns.

Important! A high percentage of herpes infected population makes infection with pregnancy a topical problem in gynecology.

Symptoms of herpes

All types of herpes affect various areas of the skin and mucous membranes, but they have the same clinical symptoms and course of the disease. In the beginning, there are red spots, in the place of which erythematous papules( vesicles) are formed. In the process of multiplication of the cells of the virus, there is an increase in lymph nodes, painful sensations appear in the area of ​​the lesion. After a while, the papules burst, shallow ulcers are formed, covered with crusts. After their disappearance, pigmented areas of the skin remain, in which the nerve endings give a signal for pain for a long time.

Other signs:

• increased body temperature;
• chills and general weakness;
• burning and itching in the affected area;
• muscle pain.

Important! Even after the complete disappearance of the primary rash, the virus continues to harm the body.

Influence of the virus on the fetus

Each future mother, when the first symptoms of the disease is found, is asked by questions: is herpes dangerous on the lips during pregnancy? And than to treat this disease. It is difficult to answer it, because, as herpes affects pregnancy, depends on many factors. The main ones are the type of pathogen and the time of infection.

Herpes simplex

A typical course of the disease, when herpes is manifested in the nose and lips, with adequate treatment most often does not harm the pregnant woman and the fetus. Only in the first months after conception of the child there is a small risk of getting the virus into the woman's blood, which can lead to the development of fetal pathologies and even his death. Herpes in the blood during pregnancy for more than 20 weeks is not dangerous to the child, the already developed placenta protects the fetus from infection. Immunity of a woman who became infected long before the conception of a child, sooner or later will activate and suppress the effect of the virus. But when primary infection in the body there are no antibodies, so the risk of the spread of dangerous cells in the systemic blood stream is increased. Herpes simplex during pregnancy requires surgical treatment, at the initial stage it is not dangerous to the fetus.

Genital herpes

If the parasitizing virus covers the genital area not for the first time, then there is practically no threat to the child. Only in case of an excessive decrease in the immunity of a woman, the virus can reach the fetus through the placenta. Primary herpes in the intimate zone during pregnancy occurs with complications and requires serious treatment. In 50% of infected pregnant women, the virus enters the bloodstream. At the same time, the answer to the question of how dangerous herpes is for a fetus is based on statistical data.

Viral infection causes:

• disorders of the nervous system - 35% of newborns;
• damage to the eyes and skin - 45% of infants;
• intrauterine fetal death in the middle of pregnancy - 90% of cases;
• infection for a period of 32-34 weeks - 60-80% of the death.

Important! Herpes 2 types during pregnancy affect the very process of development of the baby in the womb. Infection of the fetus in 1 trimester leads to fading and spontaneous miscarriage, and at the end of pregnancy to premature birth and stillbirth.

Even if the child survived and was born, he has serious health problems. From the herpes virus in children often develop heart disease and hydrocephalus, the CNS is disrupted, the risk of internal and external bleeding increases. Such children often become blind and deaf, are characterized by a delay in development and epileptic seizures.

Treatment for pregnancy

A woman who finds turbid vesicles on any part of the skin should immediately seek help from the gynecologist leading her pregnancy. Only an analysis of herpes can give a complete picture of the course of the disease. Laboratory tests reveal the presence of a virus in the body, the presence or absence of antibodies, as well as the degree of tissue damage. If there is herpes on the labia during pregnancy, then additional monitoring of the fetus is required. Ultrasound is performed at an early stage to study the collar zone of the fetus, and the 2 trimester requires the identification of chromosomal pathologies.

Important! If the doctor prescribed a drug whose instruction warns of cautious use during the period of gestation, the woman should not abandon it. Reproduction of the infection is more dangerous than the consequences of taking chemicals.

Many medications are not suitable for the treatment of pregnant women, this is the main difficulty of getting rid of the disease. Especially it concerns the treatment of herpes in pregnant women in the early stages, because during this period the intake of any chemical components adversely affects the fetus. Due to the inability to destroy the herpes virus in the body, the patient's physician targets several problems at once:

1. Relieve symptoms and reduce the effect of the virus on the affected areas.
2. Stimulate skin cells for regeneration
3. Exclude recurrence of herpes.

Important! Only an experienced specialist can choose an effective treatment regimen. Herpes during pregnancy can not be treated independently or left unattended.

The treatment scheme is chosen individually, because each case of infection takes place in different ways. Treatment of herpes on the lips during pregnancy is to apply to the affected areas of the skin medical preparations such as herpevir and acyclovir. To process the area of ​​the rash, an oxolin ointment is also suitable. At an initial stage of herpes at pregnant women on lips treatment by Vaseline or a children's cream. The woman is prescribed multivitamin complexes that have an elevated vitamin C content. To treat sores in the nose, the drug interferon is used in the form of drops.

Treatment of genital herpes during pregnancy should be performed in a hospital setting. In this case, the doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs, if in an individual case the benefit from them exceeds the harm to the mother and child. In recent weeks, when the virus is activated, the decision is made to premature delivery. In the third trimester, cesarean sections are performed, thus eliminating the infection of the child due to the passage of the birth canal.

Important! Natural childbirth with genital disease leads to fetal infection in 90% of cases.

A woman who has antibodies to herpes in the body can give birth to a healthy child. It is possible, if during pregnancy to undergo a full course of therapeutic treatment. It includes drugs that help suppress the action of the virus and increase the body's immune defenses.

Traditional medicine

An alternative way to get rid of manifestations of infection on the lips is offering traditional medicine. Treatment of herpes during pregnancy with folk remedies requires caution and consultation with the attending physician.

Popular means:

1. Lubrication of affected skin with lavender oil, Kalanchoe juice or aloe. The procedure should be repeated every 2-3 hours.
2. Cauterization of bubbles with soda solution, tincture of propolis and chlorophyllipt. After 20 minutes after the procedure, any moisturizer should be applied to the sores.
3. Wash the skin with herbal tincture( chamomile, licorice root and leuzea, turn).The same infusion can be taken orally to strengthen immunity.
4. Applying crushed raspberry branches. They contain useful polyphenolic compounds that accelerate the process of suppressing the cells of the virus.

You can use folk recipes for treatment within 4 months. Then you need to take a break in 1 month, and if you relapse, repeat the course. If herpes were found during the pregnancy planning, treatment should be completed before the moment of conception comes. The effect of these drugs is directed to the symptoms of the disease, they are not designed to suppress the virus. It is better to combine folk remedies with medications prescribed by the attending physician.

Preventive measures

Prevention reduces the incidence of infection of pregnant women with a virus and excludes the appearance of its symptom. First of all, herpes when planning pregnancy will not manifest in a woman with good immunity. To maintain it, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle. It includes not only the refusal of smoking and alcoholic beverages, but also proper nutrition, motor activity and hardening. At periodic occurrence of herpetic eruptions before conception of the child, it is recommended to take immunomodulating medications.

The consequences of infection with the virus during the period of gestation are so dangerous that the woman should submit a serological analysis at the planning stage. He must show whether the female organism previously met the virus or not. In the case of a negative result, it is important to comply with sanitary norms in everyday life. It is more common to wash your hands, avoid contact with an infected person and do not use other people's kitchen appliances. At sexual contacts with the husband to use a condom, by the way, to him too does not prevent to check up an organism for presence of a virus.

Pregnant girls most often do not pay due attention to minor eruptions that appear on the lips. They are more interested in the aesthetic aspect than the possible danger to the fetus. Of course, in most cases, herpes has little effect on the health of the expectant mother and does not threaten the fetus. But still possible complications can bring even to the tragedy. Therefore, it should be with the slightest suspicion to consult with the doctor in charge, to undergo examination and use all methods for the treatment of the disease.

After the birth of the child, the mother, with characteristic eruptions on the lips, will have to carefully monitor personal hygiene. It is better to use a medical mask when dealing with an infant and try not to touch the affected areas to his skin.