Guides › HIV, pregnancy and women’s health

Treating recurrent genital herpes during pregnancy

Many women with HIV also have genital herpes. HIV positive mothers are far more likely to experience an outbreak of herpes during labour than negative mothers. To reduce this risk, prophylaxis treatment for herpes with acyclovir is often recommended.

Herpes is very easily transmitted from mother to child. Even if someone has a HIV viral load that is below detection on combination therapy, herpes sores contain high levels of HIV. The herpes virus can also be released from the sores during labour. This will put the baby at risk from neonatal herpes and at increased risk of HIV.

Prophylaxis and treatment with acyclovir is safe to use during pregnancy.

September 2011

Decisions relating to your treatment should always be taken in consultation with your doctor. Information in this guide is intended to support those discussions.

Authors and references • Translations • About our guides • Guides index

This guide's available in UK clinics (can't find it?)

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here