Cold sores during pregnancy: symptoms and treatment

Cold sores during pregnancy are normal, as there is a weakening of the pregnant woman’s immune system, which leads to the appearance of herpes sores in the mouth, which can be itchy and painful.

Cold sores during pregnancy do not pass to the baby and do not harm their health, but they must be treated as soon as they appear to prevent the virus from passing to the woman’s intimate area, causing genital herpes, a more serious type of the disease that can contaminate the baby. Learn more about cold sores.

The treatment of cold sores during pregnancy must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, who may recommend the use of antiviral medications.

Symptoms of cold sores in pregnancy

The main symptoms of cold sores during pregnancy are:

• Appearance of a small wound on the lip;
• Itching and redness in part of the lip;
• Pain when moving the mouth;
• Appearance of a blister on the lip, in some cases.

It is possible to know that the symptoms of cold sores will appear about 2 days before the sores appear, as tingling, itching and redness can be noticed in the mouth.

How the treatment is carried out

The treatment of cold sores during pregnancy can be done with antiviral ointments or oral antiviral medications, such as Acyclovir, Valaciclovir or Famciclovir, for example, under the recommendation of the obstetrician monitoring the pregnancy, as there is no consensus on the use of these medications during pregnancy.

However, pregnant women can resort to an alternative treatment, under the guidance of a doctor, for cold sores with propolis extract to relieve inflammation and heal the wound, placing 2 to 3 drops on the wound until it disappears, as propolis extract has properties anti-inflammatory, healing and antiviral.

It is also important to remember that if a pregnant woman has a cold sore after giving birth, she should avoid kissing her baby and always wash her hands before touching her to avoid transmitting the virus.

Can pregnant women take acyclovir?

Pregnant women can take acyclovir to treat herpes as long as it is recommended by their doctor and when the benefits outweigh the possible risks for the baby.

In studies carried out with acyclovir, no teratogenic or mutagenic effects were found, that is, it does not have the capacity to interfere with the baby’s development, however it is essential that it is used according to medical advice, as the dosage and time of use may vary. according to the woman’s gestational age and general health.