How to prevent neonatal herpes

Herpes is a common disease in newborns. This is because children's bodies are relatively weak and they are easily attacked by some epidemic diseases, such as colds and herpes. Neonatal herpes is usually prevented by vaccination. What other methods are there? Let’s learn how to prevent neonatal herpes.

If a pregnant woman has genital herpes, her baby may also be infected during delivery. In addition, your baby may also be infected with herpes after birth. About 5% of neonatal herpes cases are acquired after birth, which is just as dangerous as if the baby were infected during delivery. But if you're especially careful, this herpes infection can often be avoided.

In general, you should wash your hands before touching your baby. Don't let anyone with a cold sore kiss, nuzzle, or hold your baby. Any type of herpes can be dangerous to a newborn, including herpes that causes mouth sores. If you have a herpes outbreak anywhere on your body, keep that area covered to prevent it from coming into contact with your baby's skin. You should wash your hands frequently and carefully because herpes can be transmitted from the hands to the mouth. If you develop herpes outbreaks while breastfeeding, it should be safe to breastfeed as long as they do not appear on your breasts and you are careful to cover the affected area and wash your hands thoroughly.

If you have a cold sore, don't kiss your baby. Some experts also recommend wearing a disposable mask to cover any sores while you're caring for your baby. If you frequently get mouth sores, you can ask your doctor to prescribe antiviral medications to suppress herpes flare-ups. If you have ever had herpes on your lips, do not bite your baby's nails with your teeth, even if there are no obvious ulcers. Also, in rare cases, your fingers may be infected with herpes (herpetic whitlow), and anyone with herpetic whitlow should avoid contact with your baby.

The above are ways to prevent neonatal herpes, because herpes is a contagious disease. In addition, the baby's physique is weak and not particularly adaptable to the external environment, so he is more susceptible to invasion by external viruses. If there are parents in the family suffering from herpes, it is best not to have close contact with the child.