How Common is It?
Approximately 1 in every 5 sexually active adults is infected with herpes, and scientists estimate that neonatal herpes affects 11-33 out of every 100,000 births.
How is it Transmitted?
Most cases of neonatal herpes are transmitted during birth, although it is possible for infection to occur in utero. However, 60-80% of cases occur in women who have never had symptoms of genital herpes, and women are most likely to transmit the virus if they become infected during pregnancy.
Effect on Pregnancy Outcome:
Neonatal herpes has a 60% fatality rate if it is left untreated. It can also cause long term neurologic damage.
Screening Recommendation:
Doctors generally don’t recommend screening for women without symptoms unless they are high risk. However, women with infected partners should be screened.
Treatment:
Treatment of women with new infections may be recommended. Some doctors also treat previously infected women in their third trimester to reduce the risk of an outbreak during delivery. Finally, many doctors recommend that women with active sores at the time of delivery have a cesarean section to reduce the chance of infection.
