How doesa newborn baby catch herpes?

During pregnancy and labour

A newborn babyis at risk of catching herpes ifthe mother had genital herpes for the first time within the last six weeks of her pregnancy.

There's a risk the mother will have passed the infection on to her baby if she had a vaginal delivery.

This risk is much lower if the mother has had genital herpes before.

Learn more aboutthe risks of genital herpes and pregnancy .

After birth

The herpes simplex virus can also be passed on to a newborn baby if:

  • a person has a cold sore and kissesthe baby
  • the mother breastfeeds her baby with herpes sores on her breast these can develop after touching her cold sore and then her breast

Cold sores are at their most contagious when they burst (rupture). They remain contagious until completely healed.

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018