very embarrassed - tmi! help!

[shellywellybaby1]

I have discovered something very unpleasant creeping back up on me that i had a couple of years ago ... genital warts. i know, i know they are grim and i'm not proud but they haven't appeared for a couple of years and now i have 3!! i obviously can't see them myself (34 weeks) but i have felt them whilst trying to keep on top of my lady garden. I am totally embarrassed and unsure of how to treat them now i am pregnant. almost too embarrassed to tell me midwife :-(

Has anyone had to deal with this or have any worldly advice? with 6 weeks to go should i just leave it??

Turning bright red as i type!

I believe it can recur during pregnancy due to slightly suppressed immune system or something. It can be transferred to baby during birth though, so you need to raise it with midwife no matter how embarrassing to be on the safe side so they can treat them ASAP.

Welcome to my world! I was getting them every month before I got pregnant and was on suppressive acyclovir for them. Horrid, make you feel so dirty, I HATE them. What is incredibly important is that you tell your midwife immediately, because at 34 weeks they really need to know.......I have HERPES written in bold on my file! It's just that if you are infected they absolutely have to know. They may or may not put you on acyclovir just to keep it at bay or they may just make you be extra vigilant. You cannot give birth vaginally if you have a bout of them.......as the virus is active up the birth canal and can make baby sick.....please don't stress as you may have just been unlucky......sugar is a huge enemy of herpes.......so try and steer clear or too many sugary snacks. X

Ps. Heaps of people have herpes......it's just not something we discuss down the pub! X

Thank you, i didn't realise that it could be transferred to the baby, i see my midwife on wednesday morning so will definitely inform her then. thanks ellan!

haha thanks Hettieboo - i do feel much better for sharing! its so horrible isn't it once you have them thats it for life :-(

Is there no chance of a vaginal birth now? even if they remove them and check if i am clear elsewhere?

Sorry having a momentary panic!

just to add - herpes and warts are different viruses. Unlike herpes, an outbreak of genital warts shouldn't stop you giving birth vaginally unless they are obstructing the vagina. I work in a sexual health clinic and we freeze warts on pregnant ladies up until 36 weeks, so might be worth a visit to your local gum, see what your midwife recommends? It's unfortunately really common to get recurrences during pregnancy, but the good news is they may clear up spontaneously once the baby is born. Good luck, and try not to worry x

I'm pretty sure its ok to give birth during an outbreak if its not your first attack. Tell your midwife, don't be embarressed, she won't bat an eyelid. Something like 98% of the population carry the wart virus.

aww thanks everyone!haha! can't believe i am being so silly! you think that i wouldn't be bothered about it considering i will be all on show when giving birth haha!

Thanks again!

This is going to sound weird but you say you can't see them so are you absolutely sure that its warts again? I ask because I had them for a while as a teenager (never came back thank god) and when I was pregnant with DS I found what I thought was a wart whilst tending to my ladygarden. Cue total panic thinking they'd came back but on further inspection (I was only about 15wks gone at the time) I realised it was actually a rather large skin tag (quite common in pregnancy in places where clothes might be rubbing). I still have it now cos the doc tried to tie it off and it didn't work.

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know in case it's the same deal for you, I would go to your gp and ask them to confirm it if you can't see for yourself

unfortunately i got DP to have a closer inspection and he seems to think because i have 3 then its probably warts :( just praying i don't have any internally?! one is quite big i was tempted to try tying a bit of cotton round that one myself...maybe not a good idea!

Not sure if pregnant women can use this but do you have any tea tree oil? The only thing that got rid of mine was to dab neat tea tree oil on them with a cotton bud a couple of times of day. Took a few weeks but they never came back, as I say though, not sure if suitable when preggers...

Thanks WeeLors i am at the midwife on weds so will ask her. because my bump is so big i hadn't noticed them earlier unfortunately! think one is past the days of tea tree oil, certainly feels that way anyway haha! o the shame!