Herpes and Your Unborn Child: Is Oral Sex During Pregnancy Safe?
Though engaging in oral sex during pregnancy isn’t entirely unsafe, there have been reports of the dangers of transmitting genital herpes to babies.
During pregnancy, a woman’s hormones can boost or diminish a woman's sex drive. It’s important for her mental and emotional state to be able to have a partner she can communicate her needs and desires with.
Pregnancy sex helps couples feel closer and more intimate at a time in their lives when they're going through a lot of emotional changes.
Oral sex is one satisfying type of intimacy that requires trust and in some cases, is the most effective way to achieve orgasm.
Though engaging in oral sex during pregnancy isn’t entirely unsafe, there have been reports of the dangers of transmitting genital herpes to babies.
According to Healthline, if a mum-to-be has genital herpes while pregnant, there is a possibility that the virus will be passed on to her unborn baby, either in utero or during the process of childbirth.
Because of this, some women are discouraged by their doctors from engaging in oral sex during pregnancy, specifically during the third trimester of pregnancy.
The dangers of neonatal herpes
Though the transmission of genital herpes to babies is rare, it is a serious disease that parents need to know about. It is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), which is transmitted via vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
In the United States alone, there are about 1,200 to 1,500 cases of neonatal herpes infection each year.
Neonatal herpes causes brain inflammation and in some cases, even death. Mums-to-be who contract the infection while pregnant are more at risk of passing it on to their babies than those who were infected before conception.
To avoid herpes, use a condom for vaginal, anal or oral sex. Using a dental dam can also help avoid the spread. Antiviral medications can also be prescribed to infected mums-to-be. Another measure taken by medical professionals is performing a C-section to deliver the baby, in order to lessen the risk of infection.
*This article first appeared on theAsianparent Philippines
sources: Healthline, Baby Center, Herpes.org
