Neonatal Problems: Neonatal Herpes
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The (HSV) is a serious infection that affects all the major organs,
often damaging them permanently. It can also cause death.
The herpes simplex virus infects 1 in every 2,500 - 5,000 neonates. Most
mothers of infants who acquire neonatal herpes lack histories of clinically
evident genital herpes.
The American Medical Association states that:
" At the onset of labour, all women should be examined
and carefully questioned regarding whether they have symptoms of genital
herpes "
The risk for transmission to the neonate from an infected
mother is high among women who acquire genital herpes near the time of
delivery (30%-50%) and is low among women who have a history of recurrent
herpes at term and women who acquire genital HSV during the first half
of pregnancy (3%).
The infant may be infected before pregnancy or during pregnancy, especially
in a vaginal birth.
The information in this page is presented in summarised form and has been taken
from the following source(s):
1.
Journal of the American Medical Association,
Women's Health Information Center - Sexually Transmitted Diseases:
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Introduction
