pregnant and very scared of herpes :(

[Sandy12]

hi everyone

have just joined here, the website was recommended by a friend. ive had moderate health anxiety throughout my life - am 25 now - but since becoming pregnant its become unbearable. my baby is due in two weeks and i need to get my head sorted, im so scared i wont be able to look after him/her properly because of my anxiety.
ive always been so scraed of blood diseases - hiv and hepatitis b etc but as you are tested for those in pregnancy i could put that behind me. but i made a big mistake of looking up herpes onthe internet and what i found out about it has really terrified me. i have been with my hubby for 8 years and only had one partner before him - both of them had very limited sexual experience. but the proper herpes websites say that apparently 25% of sexually active people have genital herpes - its just that most people have no symptoms. i had always believed that as i had never had symptoms of that in such a long time then i obviously didnt have it, but now after reading about it i am absolutely convinced that i have the virus and its laying there dormant inside just waiting to come out, and im so scared that it will get passed on to my baby. i think about it all the time :( i cant believe that its that common and that many people have it, its so scary.
the thing is i know that although its not a very nice thing to have, its not life or death and most of the time it would have no effect on you other than how you felt in your head. there are much worse things to have than that like cancer, i cant understand why it has upset me so much finding out that information about herpes but it really really has and the facts about it keep swimming around in my head.
the other thing is that ive spoke to numerous health professionals about herpes since reading it - a couple of gps, the doctor and nurses at a gum clinic, the gynaecologist, the midwives - they have all said that i would have symptoms by now if i had caught it and none of them have said anything about it being dormant, and being so widespread. is it possible that they could all be so wrong? surely if herpes was so widespread then the professionals would know about it? i want to believe them but the proper herpes websites would surely know better?
please help with any advice :( i want to try and get over this worry before my baby comes :( thankyou for any help

[Cyberchondriac]

I really think the health professionals are right. You would know about it. Your body would give you a warning beforehand. Try to resist symptom-surfing at this point as it will only cause you stress. Stress you really don't have to put yourself through...

I wish you all the best for the next couple of weeks! I imagine it must be such an exciting, but incredibly nerve-wracking, time for you right now. I bet in a month or so you'll be wondering why you were worrying in the first place

[Gee]

I have the same thing - i feel like i'm waiting for it - can't get it out of my head constantly worried and stressed but I will tell you one thing that might help you, my friend has it and...

1. she says its really not that bad, just a coldsore
AND
2. it is brought on by stress and from the sound of it you are very stressed - do as I do and just keep thinkin gif I had it surely it would of shown by now as I am soooooo stressed!

I constantly feel on the verge of tears and cannot concentrate I'm thinking maybe counselling might be worth a try :-(
xx

[Stressed32]

Sandy- I have PMd u before on this...if you have it, they will just need to do a C-section at deleivery IF you have an outbreak during delivery. Other than that...herpes is really an STD to want to have if you had to pick 1 b/c you can't die from it or lose your fertility. Good luck with the new baby! Enjoy the pregnancy and try to relax! You are only pregnant for 9 months and they will fly by! You can never have this time back....so why ruin it with worthless worries about an STD that you probably dont have and even if you did wont hurt you or the baby.

[janzenz]

just to let you know... If you had herpes you would know about it during pregnancy. About 99% of the time you would have had an attack during your pregnancy... most babies are born healthy and normal and for such little critters they are amazingly tough little beggars!!! The best thing you can do for your little one is to minimise your worry about things you cant change and to focus on doing th ebest you can... breastfeed foe as long as you can, eat well, love your baby and spend lots of time doing this!!!
Your body has done an amazing thing... be proud... it has carried a cell and turned it into a baby...Your body is working well... God luck...

[deb141]

I have had genital warts and had them successfully removed, however that does not stop them coming back as i have the virus. I had a baby 5 months ago and all was fine. The only thing you would need to worry about is if you were having an 'outbreak' and you would definately know. As with an outbreak you could pass it on to your baby, the way they stop this is by treating you with meds or if necessary a c section, its not serious.
I think it very unlikely you have this as you would defo know about it, so try and stop worrying about it and look forward to meeting your new arrival !. Good luck x