Cold sores in pregnancy: risks, causes and treatment

Regardless of the type of herpes virus, the route of transmission or the time of contact, the fact that the infant has acquired it represents a state of risk to his health due to his vulnerable condition. In some cases the transmission of cold sores can be as dangerous as the one contracted through the genital route, especially if the infection occurs immediately after birth .

An infected baby does not necessarily develop herpes in the mouth, but it can also occur in any area of ​​the skin or eyes , where the virus enters through the mucous membranes or any wound, and you may notice ulcers or blisters in these areas.

When it attacks the eyes, the infant could develop an eye disease, mainly due to the inflammation of some of its structures, causing its vision to be blurred, with points of partial blindness or to perceive flying spots.

If the disease continues to progress, there is a risk that a more serious type will arrive, which may affect other organs, there is even the possibility that it can spread to the central nervous system , if this happens the baby could have fever, hypothermia, rapid breathing, periods apnea, lethargy, seizures and that your skin or mucous membranes turn blue or yellow. At this point, even with medication, the probability that they will die is high and if they continue to live, most are left with sequelae in their development or health in general and are usually prone to episodes of herpes constantly.

Although for the newborn the risks of contagion of oral herpes are serious, there are cases in which it does not represent a problem; However, if you or your partner are suffering from this disease, you should take precautionary measures and see a doctor immediately if the baby shows symptoms of herpes.

Cold sores are caused by the so-called herpes simplex virus or human herpesvirus that is divided into type I and type II, the former being more frequent and is transmitted to the body when there is a wound and comes into direct contact with the blisters or through the saliva of an already sick person. In most cases, this virus is acquired from infancy and is kept latent in the body to reactivate whenever the immune system is weak.

During pregnancy it is normal for your defenses to decrease and you are prone to acquire or reactivate the human herpesvirus, these episodes are very common at this stage and generally do not represent a danger to the fetus when you present it on the lips, contrary to infection in the lips. genitals, so you must take precautionary measures, since you can transmit it to the mucosa of this area if your hands have touched the ulcer before. In the case of the baby, it can mostly only be infected by direct contact after birth, whether you, your partner or someone else has a cold sore.

Once you are a carrier of the virus, you will be a carrier for your entire life, and factors that are present during pregnancy, such as stress and hormonal changes , lead to outbreaks of cold sores. Other causes that can reactivate the virus is after a disease that lowers your defenses, a lip injury or burns, skin irritation, inflammatory processes, fever, dental treatment, among others.

In many cases, it is enough to wait until the outbreak disappears on its own and no specific treatment is necessary if the necessary care is taken to avoid contagion to the newborn. But you could try home treatments to reduce symptoms and shorten the duration of the outbreak, it will help if you rub ice on the ulcer for 10 minutes every hour, if you apply a little petroleum jelly to the affected place with a swab or if you keep it directly on the Sprout a green tea bag soaked in hot water for 10 minutes. In the following FastlyHealarticle you will find the best home remedies for cold sores .

However, if the ulcers are very painful or persistent, and because this disease is caused by a virus that remains in your body, the treatment that the doctor may recommend is the application of an anti-herpetic cream , mainly with the active ingredient acyclovir, which will help relieve symptoms. On the other hand, severe outbreaks of cold sores are usually treated with intravenous administration of the drug, if the specialist indicates it in that way.

As for the infant, if he develops symptoms, it is essential that the pediatrician evaluate his condition and, based on this, grant the best treatment, he could opt for the injection of an anti-herpetic in several sessions under constant monitoring, in addition to methods to treat the sequelae that could stay.

The transmission of cold sores to the baby is possible, especially in the first 4-6 weeks of the outbreak, but it can be avoided if you follow some important care , including:

• Wash hands before touching the infant anyone who is developing the disease and came into contact with ulcers.
• No person with lip fire should kiss the newborn.
• If there is a herpes blister on another part of the body, cover it before taking the baby.
• Do not cut the infant’s nails with your teeth even if you do not have an ulcer.
• Avoid oral sex during pregnancy if your partner has or recently had a mouth fire.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Cold sores in pregnancy: risks, causes and treatment , we recommend that you enter our category of Teeth and mouth .