The acquisition of herpes simplex virus during pregnancy

Abstract (PubMed)

We studied 7046 pregnant women whom serologic tests showed to be at risk for herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Serum samples were obtained at first prenatal visit, at approximately 16 and 24 weeks, and during labor, then tested for antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2 by Western blot. Ninety-four women became seropositive for HSV; 34 of the 94 (36%) had symptoms consistent with herpes infection. Women initially seronegative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 had an estimated 3.7% chance of seroconversion; those initially seropositive only for HSV-1 had a 1.7% chance of HSV-2 seroconversion. Neonatal herpes developed in infants of 10 women (10.6%) with new HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. This risk was markedly higher than for women with recurrent HSV infection.