Herpes and homebirth?

[Linzie2]

I have been long wondering this and am embarrassed to ask but I am anyway :

What's the deal with genital herpes(contracted pre-pg) and homebirths?

[tlcdoula]

What do you mean? Are you asking if a mom can have a homebirth with herpes? if so, then yes they can I believe as long as they do not have an active outbreak. I know I have attended homebirths with moms who have had herpes.

[Linzie2]

Originally Posted by tlcdoula

What do you mean? Are you asking if a mom can have a homebirth with herpes? if so, then yes they can I believe as long as they do not have an active outbreak. I know I have attended homebirths with moms who have had herpes.

Yeah...sometimes I'm so vague! My OB for DD's birth said c-sect with an active outbreak but he also said for any little tingle or itch that I might *think* will become an outbreak. But then I thought I had read something here that said babe would be safe to deliver vag b/c of antibodies passed on?? Maybe I'm wrong.
Also any tips to keep an outbreak at bay would be great. I took Valtrex last time but would prefer non-pharmacological.
Of course, I need to get pg first!

[DreamsInDigital]

My midwife told me if I was having an outbreak when labor began that we could just cover it, and she never seemed concerned. It absolutely does not mean you have to have a c section.

[CorasMama]

What do you mean by covering it?

I don't much want a HB, I'd prefer birth center, but as I, too, have "the gift that keeps on giving", I'm looking for ways to avoid a c/s.

Of course, like the pp, I have to get pg again first!

[Linzie2]

Mamas, I'm glad I'm not alone!

[Teenytoona]

My strategy is to take a 2 garlic pills a day until about week 36, then up it to 4. I've had alot of success with garlic fending it off. I've been using the garlic recommendations from Christiane Northrup's Women's Bodies Women's Wisdom to fend off outbreaks at the beginning at had much success with it. She recommends taking garlic (for a known case) throughout pregnancy to stave off the outbreaks. I haven't had one for years now, but I am garlicking up just in case. Better than Valtrex IMO, and less pricey too.

[rajahkat]

Do you know how much time you tend to have between your outbreaks? I've had HSV for 10 years or so now, and I've had 3 homebirths. Personally, I'd probably be more comfortable with the risks of having a vaginal delivery with an outbreak than the risks of c-section. But that's all individual choice.

I've read a lot on it in the past years, and the risk of transmission to your baby is very small if you've had HSV for any amount of time (it's not your initial outbreak when you go into labor). And other things need to be taken into consideration, whether or not your water has broken, how far along into your outbreak you are, are you still shedding virus, etc.

I've never taken any suppressive therapy. I rarely have sores anymore, sometimes birth itself will bring one on, but I tend to just get some nerve pain for a day or two and that's it. Lysine is suposed to help, as is garlic, like a pp mentioned. AVOID STRESS!! And some people notice that sugar, caffeine, and certain foods bring on outbreaks, so if you notice a pattern like that, try cutting out those foods.

Other than that, try reading up on the statistics. I find them to be reassuring rather than frightening. Good Luck!

[eco_mama]

I just read that only mothers with active lesions in the genital area at the time of delivery are at risk of passing the virus on to their babies. (And even then, the risk of baby contracting the disease is low IF the active lesions are from repeat infection. There is very high risk for first time or primary infection.) HTH.

[laoxinat]

shedding and just to be safe

I have hsv and had a HB. My MW said the same thing about covering any legions. I think if I had it to do over, i might consider valtrex .5 gm daily maybe starting a week before due date, but only because if you do shed the virus, it's *possible* to pass it to babe. As a PP said, it's not likely. Do you know what your triggers are? If so, avoid them. Mine is chocolate. grrrrr.
laoxinat

[dziwozony]

i had a homebirth & i have herpes...i took l-lysine tablets as a precaution when i thought i might be having an outbreak in month 8, but it was just sneaky yeast! my midwife was supportive- that's really important! i've heard several OBs doing c-sec "just to be safe" when it's totally unnecessary.

try to avoid stress triggers, eat well, get exercise...the usual trio! vitamins, l-lysine, garlic tablets if you feel you need to take precaution.

your baby will already have the herpes antibodies just from growing inside you...i'm not aware of it happening during the actual birth process?