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The management of herpes simplex in pregnant women and neonates
Herpes simplex virus infections in pregnancy and in the neonatal period are well recognised in the U.S.A., where the infection rate at term may be from 1:300 to 1:1000, with clinically recognised disease in about 1 of 7500 deliveries. In the U.K. such infections are apparently rare and only 66 cases were recorded by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre between 1973 and 1980. Mild infections may therefore be missed. It is difficult to put forward rational statements concerning the management of maternal herpetic infection during pregnancy. Active genital infection should preclude vaginal delivery but the policy to follow in subclinical infections is far from clear. We put forward guidelines for management and consider the potential role of antiviral agents.
Herpes simplex virus infections in pregnancy and in the neonatal period are well recognised in the U.S.A., where the infection rate at term may be from 1:300 to 1:1000, with clinically recognised disease in about 1 of 7500 deliveries. In the U.K. such infections are apparently rare and only 66 cases were recorded by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre between 1973 and 1980. Mild infections may therefore be missed. It is difficult to put forward rational statements concerning the management of maternal herpetic infection during pregnancy. Active genital infection should preclude vaginal delivery but the policy to follow in subclinical infections is far from clear. We put forward guidelines for management and consider the potential role of antiviral agents.