Will herpes during pregnancy affect the fetus?

Any disease or discomfort that a pregnant woman experiences during pregnancy may have an invisible impact on the fetus. For example, herpes in pregnant women can cause great harm to the fetus. It may cause chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, or induce congenital varicella syndrome in the fetus. The baby may also carry herpes after birth, so attention should also be paid to the treatment of herpes.

1. Cause fetal chromosomal abnormalities

If a woman is infected with chickenpox during the early stages of pregnancy, she may pass the virus to the fetus, causing chromosomal abnormalities. The possible incidence rate is between 17% and 28%, and chromosomal abnormalities can cause the baby to develop malignant tumors in the future.

2. Congenital varicella syndrome in the fetus

If varicella virus infection occurs during the 4th to 5th month of pregnancy, once the virus passes through the placenta, approximately 7% to 9% of fetuses will develop congenital varicella syndrome, leading to weight loss, muscle and nerve atrophy, nail deformities, skin scars, cataracts, mental retardation and other problems after birth, and most of them die within one or two years after birth.

3. Herpes zoster may occur after the baby is born

If a pregnant mother is infected with the varicella virus during the 6th to 9th month of pregnancy, the fetus may develop chickenpox. Although the baby does not have obvious symptoms of chickenpox at birth, there is a direct risk of developing shingles after birth.

4. Babies are prone to disseminated varicella

If the pregnant mother is infected with the varicella virus 4-5 days before delivery, the baby will easily become ill 5-10 days after birth because he or she does not receive the mother's protective antibodies. The disease can also easily develop into disseminated varicella, with a mortality rate of up to 25%-30%.

5. Pregnant women with genital herpes should receive comprehensive treatment

Patients with genital herpes can take antiviral, immunity-enhancing, symptomatic supportive therapies, etc. For genital herpes, the affected area should be cleaned and wet-compressed with 1:8000 potassium permanganate solution, and then coated with 2% gentian violet solution or acyclovir cream, etc., to keep the affected area clean and dry. Generally speaking, the symptoms of genital herpes are mild, the course of the disease is short, and it can heal itself, but it is very easy to relapse.