I have Genital hsv1, my partner does not. Can we still try to have children without him getting it?
From what i am understanding I CAN have children, but i am not finding any information stating that when an individual has Genital HSV 1 and the partner does NOT, they can have children without passing the disease to the other partner. I do not want to have to go through the whole thing about doctors inserting his semen into me! Are there no other ways?
Hi Brooklyn19,
Thanks for your question. I'm sure there are others wondering the same thing. I am not a doctor, so I cannot give you medical advice. But I do have herpes and have learned a lot about the disease over the years, so I think I can help you.
It is possible for you to have a child without your partner getting herpes (and without having to have his sperm injected in you...as sexy as that sounds ;-)...). However, unfortunately this issue is not black and white. There is still a risk that your partner contracts herpes from you, but that risk is greatly reduced if you are smart and safe about it. For example, you should avoid having sex while having an outbreak, and be conscientious about your body and hygiene. For more tips about how to cut the chances of your partner getting herpes, I suggest you look at our Genital Herpes Prevention page.
I know friends of friends who have herpes but managed to get married and have children without ever passing on the disease. So it is possible. I say you start a family and don't let herpes hold you back! The worst that could happen is your partner gets herpes, which really isn't the end of the world considering about a fifth of Americans are living with it anyway. Right?
I recommend you check out Pregnancy and Herpes by Dr. Grayson as well as the Causes and Risk Factors page.
Hope that helps.
PJ
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