birth

[amd1017]

So I'm only 16w3d I have an ultrasound April 16th to find out the sex. But my main question is, when do I have to know for certain what I want to do for my birthing plan. I really wanted to have a natural birth but considering that I have herpes and I haven't been able to have sex lately without it really hurting and my area is just uncomfortable

Comments

[kastinkerbell]

It's never too early to talk to your care provider about what options you have. I would say that at the next appointment, you essentially say what you posted and see what they have to say about it.

[bichee_face]

This.

[jenny0]

I would imagine that you have to tell your doctor you have herpes - I don't have any experience with this situation but since it's something that could potentially affect the baby, it seems that you would have to let your OB know. With that knowledge, you and he/she can then discuss options for the birth. There is probably someone here who can give you more specific information but this seems to me like a situation you would need to discuss with your doctor.

[princessenoire]

What does your husband being in the military have to do with you getting Valtrex? Military or no, YOU have privacy rights in your treatment.

[ohhhell]

Military doesn't treat patient privacy like they do in the civilian world. MANY soldiers get these kinds of diseases and never get them treated because they fear that their superiors will find out about it. And I think very often they do.

That being said, she should get on valtrex regardless. To the OP: Can you go off-base and see a civilian doctor? With the tricare I had, that was on option since I didn't live on base.

[princessenoire]

We ARE military, so I'm aware. Her husband, yes, does not have the same level of privacy. However, SHE does. Besides, how is she preventing transmission to her husband? He may already have it and be in the system, and therefore there is even less benefit to keeping quiet. There is no benefit to hiding medical history, to the potential detriment of both herself and her child. And, if Valrex is expensive, and she'll only get it with TRICARE, there's no benefit to going to another doctor as well.

[princessenoire]

Eh, I will say there are some exceptions (pre-overseas assignment physicals, etc.), but in general this is the case.

[_lola04]

I don't think that you have to have a section if you have herpes...the only way that I believe you can is if you don't have an outbreak at the time of delivery. But I agree with the above poster's that you should not hide any medical history from your doctor's. And you should be able to go to a doctor and feel safe with the doctor/patient confidentiality policy!

[x_cybergoth_x]

you need to let your doc know about your herpes for the baby's sake. I do not have active herpes, not had an outbreak in 9 years. That said I am at the end of my pregnancy and taking aciclovir (an anti viral drug) to make sure that I don't pass on the dormant virus to my son at birth. Yes, even in its dormant state it can be passed on. I think how active your herpes is will affect what your doc thinks about birth options, here in the UK if I had an active outbreak I would be having a c-section in the next week or so, simple as that. As I don't we are suppressing the virus in my body so I can birth as normal. These are things you MUST discuss. You don't want to give your baby this virus if you can help it, privacy issues or not.