Herpes Prevention

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease contracted through skin-to-skin sexual contact. Most people who have herpes are unaware of it because oftentimes there aren’t any accompanying symptoms. The signs of herpes are sometimes so mild they can go unnoticed. The initial outbreak is typically the worst, and some people never have subsequent outbreaks. Others, however, have been known to have frequent recurrences.

In the event that there are symptoms for genital herpes, they may include:

* Small, red bumps, blisters or sores in the genital, anal and nearby areas
* Pain or itching around your genital area, including buttocks or inner thighs

Typically, the first sign of genital herpes is pain or itching, occurring a few weeks after contact with an infected sexual partner. Then, after a few days, tiny, red bumps are present. These burst, forming ulcers that bleed or emit pus. The final stage is when scabs form after this, the ulcers heal and disappear completely.

Once you have contracted genital herpes, there is no cure for it. But, there are things that can be done to prevent a sexual partner from contracting the virus. Likewise, if your sexual partner has genital herpes and you do not, there are practices that you can engage in that will minimize your chance of contracting the virus. Keep in mind, however, that the only 100% guaranteed method of preventing the spread of genital herpes is abstinence.

If you have genital herpes, here are some things you and your partner can do to prevent spreading it to a partner:

*Abstain from sex during outbreaks because more of the virus is present on the skin at this time. Also, sex during an outbreak can irritate the area, making the outbreak last longer.
*Use latex condoms from start to finish whenever you engage in sexual activity.

People with genital herpes usually know the virus is active because lesions appear on the skin. But lesions do not always appear when the virus is active. Herpes can be active even when no symptoms are present. This reactivation without symptoms is known as asymptomatic shedding. Traces of the virus are present on the skin in th genital area or in rectal tissue or genital secretions. Asymptomatic shedding causes most herpes infections because there is no way to know when the virus is being shed, and therefore a person with herpes does not know they need to be more cautious during periods of shedding.

Normal activities like cuddling, sharing a bed, or kissing are not ways genital herpes can be contracted.

Chances of transmitting genital herpes to infants is greatly reduced if you contract the virus before pregnancy because your body's antibodies will be passed to your infant, but if you are concerned about spreading genital herpes to an infant during pregnancy, follow these tips:

*Alert your doctor of your genital herpes diagnosis.
*Discuss the possibility of a C-section delivery.
*Take a treatment that will lessen your outbreak frequency, duration and severity—to reduce chance of an outbreak during delivery.