Primary infection of the
mother may affect the fetus:
Risk of spontaneous
abortion may be greater in the first trimester (1).
Preterm labor and
growth restriction is more frequent in the late second and third
trimesters (1).
Recurrent infection is not
associated with the above fetal risks (2).
Transmission of genital
herpes to the fetus may occur antenatally either transplacentally or by
the ascending route, and usually results from primary rather than
recurrent infection.
Intrapartum transmission is
the most common route of neonatal infection and may occur with either
primary or recurrent infection.
REFERENCES
Scott LL, Hollier LM, Dias K.
Perinatal herpesvirus infection. Infect Dis Clin North Am
1997;11(1):27-53.
Crane JMG. Prenatal exposure
to viral infections. Can J of CME 1998:61-74.