OBJECTIVES: To assess the experience of recrudescent herpes labialis (RHL) before and during early pregnancy. METHODS: History of RHL prior to and during the first trimester of pregnancy was obtained from 3738 women attending at 10-15 weeks' gestation. The influence of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic group, smoking behavior, and alcohol intake on RHL was assessed. RESULTS: 1066 women (28.5%) reported a history of RHL lesions, with reduced incidence of RHL during pregnancy (0.111 lesions/subject per month) compared with outside pregnancy (0.19 lesions/subject per month) (P<0.0001). Those who did report lesions during pregnancy (n=296) experienced them at a higher monthly rate (0.41 lesions/subject per month) than before pregnancy (0.25 lesions/subject per month) (P<0.0001). RHL rate in early pregnancy was related solely to the previous rate of lesion recrudescence (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with a history of RHL report reduced incidence of RHL during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the experience of recrudescent herpes labialis (RHL) before and during early pregnancy. METHODS: History of RHL prior to and during the first trimester of pregnancy was obtained from 3738 women attending at 10-15 weeks' gestation. The influence of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic group, smoking behavior, and alcohol intake on RHL was assessed. RESULTS: 1066 women (28.5%) reported a history of RHL lesions, with reduced incidence of RHL during pregnancy (0.111 lesions/subject per month) compared with outside pregnancy (0.19 lesions/subject per month) (P<0.0001). Those who did report lesions during pregnancy (n=296) experienced them at a higher monthly rate (0.41 lesions/subject per month) than before pregnancy (0.25 lesions/subject per month) (P<0.0001). RHL rate in early pregnancy was related solely to the previous rate of lesion recrudescence (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with a history of RHL report reduced incidence of RHL during pregnancy.
Authors: M Kunze; S Arndt; A Zimmer; M Földi; A Hanjalic-Beck; M Echternach; R Birkenhäger; A Aschendorff Journal: HNO Date: 2012-02 Impact factor: 1.284