Im Pregnant How Could Genital Herpes Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, it is very important for you to go to prenatal care visits. Tell your doctor if you have ever had symptoms of, or have been diagnosed with, genital herpes. Also tell your doctor if you have ever been exposed to genital herpes. There is some research that suggests that genital herpes infection may lead to miscarriage, or could make it more likely for you to deliver your baby too early.
Herpes infection can be passed from you to your unborn child before birth but is more commonly passed to your infant during delivery. This can lead to a potentially deadly infection in your baby . It is important that you avoid getting herpes during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, you may be offered anti-herpes medicine towards the end of your pregnancy. This medicine may reduce your risk of having signs or symptoms of genital herpes at the time of delivery. At the time of delivery, your doctor should carefully examine you for herpes sores. If you have herpes symptoms at delivery, a C-section is usually performed.
What If You Have Penetrative Sex
Yes, you can contract an STI through penile-vaginal or penile-anal sex.
STIs transmitted through bodily fluid and through skin-to-skin contact can be transmitted through penetrative sexual intercourse to any involved party.
This includes:
Any kind of penetrative sex without a barrier method of protection is considered high risk.
Sharing Injection Drug Equipment
most efficiently . This is because used needles and syringes can still contain blood, which can carry the virus.
HIV is not the only virus that can be transmitted by sharing drug injection equipment. The viruses that cause hepatitis B and hepatitis C can be
- having other types of sexually transmitted infections
You May Like: Does Hiv Cause Hair Loss
What Are The Risks From Fingering
As there is no exchange of body fluids when someone puts their fingers in another person’s vagina or anus, it’s pretty much implausible for HIV to be passed on. There has never, ever been a documented case of HIV transmission through fingering or fisting.
Theoretically, there could be a possibility of transmission if the skin of the inserted finger or hand had cuts or wounds. But these would need to be large or deep, and bleeding rather than scabbed over, for HIV transmission to be plausible.
A more real risk is that if fingering or fisting is done without sufficient care or lubrication, it could cause small tears in the lining of the vagina or rectum, potentially increasing the risk of HIV transmission during subsequent penetrative sex .
Can You Get An Sti Even When You Used A Condom
Although condoms decrease the chance of the transmission of STIs, you can still get infected. This is because some STIs are transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, and a condom does not cover the whole pubic area.
HPV, syphilis, and herpes can still be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
Read Also: How Long Hiv To Aids
How Will My Doctor Know If I Have Herpes
Your healthcare provider may diagnose genital herpes by simply looking at your symptoms. Providers can also take a sample from the sore and test it. In certain situations, a blood test may be used to look for herpes antibodies. Have an honest and open talk with your health care provider and ask whether you should be tested for herpes or other STDs.
Please note: A herpes blood test can help determine if you have herpes infection. It cannot tell you who gave you the infection or how long you have been infected.
Can Hiv Be Transmitted Through Genital Rubbing
Ask the Experts
genitalgenital
genitalgenitalGenital
The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body’s homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.
Don’t Miss: Does Nba Youngboy Have Herpes
Does Safer Sex Guarantee Safety
STIs transmitted by skin-to-skin contact may be difficult to entirely prevent by safer sex. That’s because barriers do not necessarily cover all potentially infectious skin.
Practicing safer sex reduces the risk of skin-to-skin STI transmission from viruses such as herpes and HPV. The more skin that’s covered, the less likely sores are to touch uninfected skin.
Condoms and other barriers may prevent transmission of STIs such as HIV and hepatitis that spread through bodily fluids. These STIs are spread by exposure to infected secretions such as blood, semen, and vaginal fluids. Remember, though, HIV does not spread by casual contact or skin-to-skin contact.
Is There Anything You Can Do To Prevent Transmission To A Partner
Absolutely!
Youll want to take the same precautions that you would for penetrative sex, and use barrier methods like condoms and dental dams.
And just to hammer it home: Discuss your status with your partner before gettin busy.
Early detection and treatment significantly reduces your risk for complications and infecting your partner, so see a healthcare provider for testing as soon as possible if you think you were exposed or have symptoms.
Symptoms to look out for:
- unusual discharge or bleeding from the vagina, penis, or anus
- itching or burning in the genital region
- painful intercourse
- bumps, warts, sores, or rashes in or around the genitals, anus, buttocks, or thighs
Some infections can also cause you to feel lousy with flu-like symptoms, or cause swollen lymph nodes in your groin or neck.
Enlarged lymph nodes are actually one of the first signs of HIV infection.
While good to know, keep in mind that other infections sexually transmitted and otherwise can also cause lymph nodes to swell.
To check for STIs, your healthcare provider will begin with a visual and manual exam to check for signs of infection. Laboratory tests using samples of your blood, urine, or fluids can be used to confirm an STI and detect any coinfections you might have.
Different infections become detectable at different times, depending on their incubation period. Your doctor may schedule other tests at a later date.
That depends on your results.
Recommended Reading: Do Youngboy Have Herpes
To Prevent Hiv Infection Couples Try Testing Together
“There were cases where it was suspected, but not all the pieces were there to say it so clearly as this one,” says Patrick Sullivan, an epidemiologist at Emory University who wasn’t involved in the study.
The circumstances in this case were unique, a spokeswoman for the CDC tells Shots. The couple frequently had sexual contact without a barrier and exchanged blood through rough sex with toys.
The case is a good reminder that HIV can spread during all types of sexual interactions, Sullivan says.
“Anytime there’s intimate contact even through the use of sex toys prevention measures should be taken, especially when there’s a chance of blood contact,” he says.
What Is Hiv And What Is Aids
HIV/AIDS are widely known as incurable sexually transmitted diseases, but you might not know the difference between these acronyms and what they stand for.
For simplicityâs sake, HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
If a person takes a blood test and receives a diagnosis of HIV, then they are HIV positiveâif a person does not have HIV, then they are HIV negative. HIV causes havoc in a personâs body by weakening their immune system . HIV progressively destroys the cellular part of the immune systemâparticularly types of white blood cells called CD4 cellsâwhich, over time, makes the person become immunodeficient .
As the HIV infection develops in the body, the person will become more and more immunodeficient until they reach a point where they are classified as having Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome . This is often the end stage of an HIV infection, where a personâs body is so immunodeficient that they develop infections, diseases, or cancers and are no longer able to mount a immune defense and fight them off .
There is no cure for HIV . But, if a person does become infected with HIV there are treatments available which can help keep a person healthy.
Recommended Reading: Hiv Screen 4th Generation Wrfx Nonreactive
Transmission: Heightened Risk With The Presence Of Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Having a sexually transmittable disease will make you more susceptible to become infected with HIV, especially when such a disease has caused wounds, blisters, and ulcerations of the genitals.
In addition, when a person has both HIV infection and another sexually transmittable disease, the amount of HIV in the body fluids is greatly increased. This makes it more likely that HIV is transmitted during sex. For more information on STDs, click here .
Can You Get Pregnant From Dry Humping
It is improbable that someone will get pregnant from dry humping. Pregnancy requires the semen to make contact with an egg, which usually involves contact with genitals and bodily fluids. Therefore, if both people keep their clothes on, this is highly unlikely.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. If the genitals come into contact by accident, or if a personâs vagina makes contact with semen shortly after ejaculation, pregnancy is still possible. This might happen when:
- two people dry hump, but there are holes in their clothing or underwear
- someone sits naked on a surface where there is ejaculate, such as underwear, shortly after dry humping
- dry humping leads to intercourse or accidental penetrative sex
Even if these things occur, the risk of pregnancy is low, as the semen would have to enter someoneâs vagina and travel to the egg. Brief contact with the skin makes this process unlikely, especially if the semen does not enter the vagina.
As with pregnancy, the transmission of an STI from dry humping is extremely unlikely.
However, some STIs, such as herpes , require only skin-to-skin contact. Someone may still contract these STIs from dry humping, especially if both partners do not wear clothing.
Most STIs require bodily fluid contact. After dry humping, someone can only contract them if they sit naked on someone elseâs fluids, or come into contact with fluid that leaks from someone elseâs clothing.
Don’t Miss: How Long Does It Take For Hiv To Become Aids
Why Is Hpv Such A Concern
According to the Cancer Association of SA , 80% of the general population will have HPV somewhere in their lives.
This means that majority of people will have HPV, while only 10% of those that have the virus will develop the disease. This means a lot of people have the virus but they dont have any symptoms. They just end up being carriers of the virus for years, said Serfontein.
Contact Dermatitis Of The Penis
Suddenly developed a rash after using a condom or new lubricant? Skin irritation caused by an outside factor is called contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis of the penis can occur after an irritant is exposed to the skin. This can be allergy related, such as using a latex condom if the individual has a latex allergy, or due to a skin irritating ingredient that touches the penis . Common symptoms of contact dermatitis include:
- Red, itchy spots
- Swelling and possible vesicles
- Leaking fluid around the spots
Contact dermatitis can be uncomfortable, but is treatable. If your primary care provider thinks your penile rash is contact dermatitis, they will ask you to recall any potential irritants you may have been exposed to and ato void further contact with them. A short course of a steroid cream can ease irritation and help you heal faster. Overuse of steroid creams can be harmful to the skin, so speak with your primary care provider for guidance before applying it.
Also Check: Does Aids Make Your Hair Fall Out
What Happens When An Sti Goes Untreated
The main concern is that if you have chlamydia or gonorrhea, and you dont know or leave it untreated, its going to spread to the fallopian tubes and the ovaries. This could lead to a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease which is very dangerous. Abscesses can form and you can get really sick. It can also lead to infertility or increase your chances of having an ectopic pregnancy, said Serfontein.
She added that HPV is another dangerous STI if it goes untreated.
You can develop cervical cancer or it can even lead to death. Pap smears are one way to check for this virus. If you dont treat it then you can die from it.
Multiple Vulnerabilities Increase Risk In Men And Women
Vaginal sex is one of the primary ways a person can become infected with HIV. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, it accounts for about 6,300 new infections among women each year in the U.S. and about 2,800 new infections among heterosexual men.
Globally, the figures are even more dismaying. While the sexual transmission of HIV in the U.S. is highest among gay and bisexual men , heterosexuals are by far the group most affected worldwide.
This is especially true in Africa where most new infections are among heterosexuals. In these populations, vaginal sex is the predominant route of infection.
You May Like: How Long Does Aids Take To Show
Impossible Routes Of Hiv Transmission
HIV transmission through the following activities is biologically implausible and there have been no documented cases.
There is no risk of HIV being passed on through: coughing, sneezing or spitting kissing, hugging or shaking hands sharing cutlery, plates or cups breathing the same air using the same lavatory mosquito or animal bites.
Other Types Of Transmission
In the past, HIV was spread by transfusion with blood products, such as whole blood or the “factor” used by hemophiliacs. Many people acquired HIV this way. The blood supply is now much more strictly tested and controlled in most countries. The odds of acquiring HIV from receiving blood or blood factor in countries like the US, the UK, and Canada are extremely low. For example, statistics from the US show that a person is more likely to be killed by a lightning strike than they are to acquire HIV from a blood transfusion. However, not every country screens all blood donations for HIV.
It is also possible to get HIV from skin grafts or transplanted organs taken from people living with HIV. Again, the risk is considered very low, as these “bodily products” must be strictly tested in the same way as blood products. Semen donations collected by sperm banks for artificial insemination are also considered “bodily products” and rigorously tested in high-resource countries. Private semen samples that are not processed by sperm banks or similar organizations may not have been tested. It is important for anyone receiving a private donor’s sperm for artificial insemination to have the donor tested for HIV.
If you are getting breast milk from a milk bank, it is important to ask if the bank tests the milk for HIV. Also, if your baby is getting breast milk from a wet nurse, it is important to make sure that she tests negative for HIV before giving her milk to your baby.
You May Like: Hiv Dormancy Period
Hiv Transmission Through Other Sexual Activities
HIV is also sometimes transmitted during oral sex . It may occasionally be passed from an HIV-positive person to someone sucking their penis.
Oral sex is much less risky than vaginal or anal sex, but it is not risk free. The risk depends on the viral load of the person with HIV, the dental health of the person performing oral sex and untreated sexually transmitted infections.
“Not every act of unprotected sex with an HIV-positive person results in HIV transmission.”
HIV can be transmitted by sharing sex toys such as dildos or butt plugs. They should be covered with condoms or disinfected between use by different people.
What Exactly Do You Mean By Dry Humping
Dry humping. Dry sex. Frottage. Smashing. Pants burning.
These are all names for rubbing/grinding/thrusting your genitals against someone or something in the name of sexual gratification.
Its also considered a form of outercourse.
Anyone can do it. There are all sorts of fun variations, beginning with clothes or no clothes.
Then there are the endless options for getting your frott on, which can include delightful moves like:
- intercrural intercourse, which is fancy talk for thrusting your penis between your partners thighs
- rubbing your genitals against theirs, be it penis to vulva, penis to penis, or vulva to vulva in various positions, like missionary or scissoring
- hot-dogging, in which one person slides their peen between a partners buns
- bagpiping, which involves placing a penis in the armpit
- tit f*cking, which involves sliding the peen between two smooshed breasts
We need to get this straight.
While dry humping is generally a lower risk activity than penetrative sex, its NOT completely risk-free.
If pregnancy is your only concern, then dry hump on, friend. STIs are a whole other story.
Penetration doesnt need to happen to transmit an STI. STIs can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact or fluid exchange.
Dry humping while fully clothed is safe, but any state of undress increases your risk, because bodily fluids could seep through fabric.
Think pillow, the arm of your couch, that ridiculous stuffed parrot you won at the fair, etc.
Don’t Miss: How Long Until Hiv Turns Into Aids