Can you how a baby with herpes?

Yes mothers with herpes can have a baby (and a healthy baby). Herpes is also not passe genetically and herpes doesn't affect fertility or the reproductive system.

If you get pregnant and you have had herpes for a long time then herpes shouldn't affect the pregnancy. If you contracted herpes just before you get pregnant then it can cause some complications.

Mothers with herpes are typically prescribed antiviral medication (which is safe to take during pregnancy) to take a few weeks before they are due to deliver. This helps to suppress break outs. If they don't have any signs or symptoms of a break out then the mother can deliver naturally and not have any major risk of passing herpes to the baby.

If the mother has a break out when she is due to deliver then she can pass herpes onto the baby which can cause things like blindness, brain damage, deafness and even death.

If the mother wants to avoid any risk of passing herpes onto the baby she can have a c-section, but these can also be risky surgeries. Most doctors would suggest having a natural birth.