Diagnosis and Treatment of Herpes Simplex Infection During Pregnancy

• Published in: Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 99 - 106
• Main Author: Donahue, Deborah Blair
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Elsevier Inc 01.01.2002; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Acyclovir - therapeutic use; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiviral treatment; Babies; Female; Herpes; Herpes Simplex - congenital; Herpes Simplex - nursing; Herpes Simplex - transmission; Herpes viruses; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - prevention & control; Maternal-Child Nursing; Neonatal care; Neonate; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing Assessment; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - nursing; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - prevention & control; Women; Pregnancy; Herpes; Neonate; Antiviral treatment
• ISSN: 0884-2175; 1552-6909
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2002.tb00028.x

When pregnant women acquire primary herpes simplex genital infections or experience recurrent infections around the time of delivery, the risk of transmitting the disease to their newborns is significant. This perinatal transmission can result in a serious neonatal illness. Issues surrounding screening, treatment, and mode of delivery to prevent perinatal transmission often are confusing and controversial. Nurses delivering care to childbearing women and their newborns must be aware of the current information to give accurate and helpful information and support. Nurses also need to understand the effect this disease has both physiologically and psychosocially on women with primary infections, recurrent infections, and women at risk of acquiring the infection during pregnancy.