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pregnancy

Dealing with cold sore and herpes outbreaks in pregnancy.

Given the frequency of herpes infections in the general population the lack of realistic treatment options during pregnancy is surprising. The general medical intervention for the treatment of herpes simplex outbreaks is treatment with anti-viral medications such as acyclovir. These medications act by reducing the virus’s ability to reproduce. Unfortunately a side-effect of these is that they can affect cellular reproduction – not something that is desirable during pregnancy!

As a consequence therefore as a pregnant mother you may be looking for a realistic treatment option for a herpes outbreak or cold sore during pregnancy. There are very few natural remedies that have been studied extensively during pregnancy and therefore little safety data is available. Given that in essence most herbal remedies have a pharmacological or drug like affect one should not issue that just because a remedy is “natural”, that it does not have potential side-effects.

This can lead you in a very difficult situation because during pregnancy your immune system is naturally suppressed which means that you will be more prone to infections and outbreaks. One possible remedy is to take lysine on a preventative basis. While there are no definitive studies on the safety of this during pregnancy reputable manufacturers such as Blackmores advise that their lysine products (Lyp-Sine) can be taken during pregnancy however at a reduced dose.

Many pharmacists also advise that topical products can be applied because the amounts of active ingredient entering the bloodstream is much smaller than remedies taken orally. One product such is Dynamiclear. The manufacturers recommend however that you consult with your physician before applying Dynamiclear during pregnancy.

In addition to being painful and unpleasant herpes can potentially be a risk to your unborn child. It’s estimated that as many as 1500 to 2000 newborns are affected with neonatal herpes every year and that herpes can be associated with birth defects. For a woman who has been infected with herpes prior to getting pregnant the risk of her passing the infection onto her child is considerably less. Women who experience their first infection while pregnant however to not have antibodies to the virus and as a consequence more likely to pass the infection on. Another risk is that during the birth process if there is an active outbreak then there is a risk of transmission with genital herpes. As a consequence you may find your obstetrician recommending certain medications to control the infection.

As always you should ensure that you consult with your qualified healthcare professional before undertaking any treatment program, especially during pregnancy.  The information presented in this article is for informational purposes only.

 

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