Outbreak Of Herpes At Birth

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

HI, I need help....a girl I know had her baby about a month ago and she has Herpes. I know her doctor knew but I am unsure if she was on medicine the last month of her pregnancy or not...well now the baby is in the hospital...what are some symptons of babies with this...She is only 16 years old and I think she is to afraid to say something to the doctors about it...her aunt had to take the baby to the ER and they have admitted the baby in the hospital and can't find out what is wrong with the baby....They don't know what is wrong with her and I feel the girl is not telling them....My question is What are the symptoms and what should I do..:confused:

sanakruz, ADN

735 Posts

lady partsl Herpes (simplex II) can be passed to a child during lady partsl delivery.Those at risk are delivered by c-section. The virus can infect the baby even if the mom does not have an active outbreak.

I'm assuming you mean the 16 year old mom has the herpes infection? And the baby is ill but is undiagnosed?

There are several kinds of herpes

Simplex I (fever blisters)

Simplex II ( genital herpes)

Varicella (chicken pox)

Zoster (Shingles)

All involve skin lesions.

GailWHNP

46 Posts

Taking this from the internet:

Herpes infections in the neonate

If a baby does become infected with the herpes virus, he can have any of three kinds of presentations: localized infection of the skin, eye, and mouth; localized infection of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system, or CNS); or an infection that involves multiple organs of the body, known as a disseminated herpes infection. Sometimes the symptoms will overlap. Babies with infection localized to the skin, eye, and mouth generally do better than those with CNS or disseminated disease; but even with treatment, some will later show signs of neurologic impairment. Despite antiviral therapy, many infants with disseminated or CNS disease die or have long-term severe disabilities.

Women who have a history of herpes before becoming pregnant may find it somewhat reassuring to know that most newborns who do get herpes catch it from women who became newly infected during their pregnancy and had not yet developed protective antibodies when the baby was born.

lpnga

127 Posts

thanks....i also found that of the babies who get herpes from the mother that 50% of them get it in the internal organs and then 50% of those kids get life time blindness, deafness, mental retardation, and cp. and 10% of those kids die.....thanks for all the help from everyone....

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