It is estimated that out of the 3/4 of a million babies born each year around 10 contract
herpes simplex virus in t he first few days of life and around 4 to 6 sadly die from it each year.
The reason the risk is so tiny is that all mothers who have herpes simplex antibodies
give their babies 'maternal antibody' in the last months of pregnancy. So the baby is born with antibodies and is protected
from catching the virus for a few months.
It has been suggested that in this recent tragic case Ruth Schofield the babies mum, caught
the virus for the first time days before giving birth to her daughter Jennifer and as such her body had not produced the antibodies
to pass on to her baby to protect her. Our heart goes out to this poor mum and all the others who have lost their children
in the same way.
Ruth, from Lancaster, has written to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's office demanding more
warnings are given to pregnant mothers, we hope it has some effect and that it is considered more by health profesional and
warnings are given to all pregnant women of the dangers it can cause if contracted in the later stages of pregnancy. For more
info on herpes in pregnancy read go to NHS pregnancy and herpes
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