Im pregnant and havent had herpes, but my husband or partner has herpes. Should we do anything?
A. Yes! By far the greatest risk for neonatal herpes occurs when a woman first catches herpes when pregnant, especially in the last trimester. If your partner has genital herpes, you should avoid intercourse after the 6th month; if that isnt practical, be sure your partner uses condoms consistently or takes suppressive antiviral therapy (preferably both). Even better, get a blood test: if your test is negative for HSV-2, take the precautions I just outlined. But if the result is positive, you dont need to worry about getting a new infection from your partner; your risk of transmitting herpes to your baby is low (although your obstetrician will want to be on the lookout for herpes outbreaks as your due date approaches). Similarly, if your partner has oral herpes (due to HSV-1), and your own blood test is negative for past HSV-1 infection, you must not receive oral sex during the last 3 months of your pregnancy.
