I am two-and-a-half-months pregnant and I just found out that my boyfriend has contracted herpes. He keeps trying to convince me that it will not cause any harm to the baby. Is this true? Please let me know.

--Sunny

If YOU do not contract herpes, then there is no harm to your unborn child. Should you develop a primary (first-time) herpes outbreak early in pregnancy, it will not increase your chance of miscarriage. A primary outbreak in the third trimester is more dangerous; it may cause preterm labor and delivery. Only very, very rarely is herpes transmitted across the placenta to the baby before birth.

The major problem with a pregnant woman having herpes occurs when she has an outbreak around the time of delivery. Herpes can be transmitted to a baby during a vaginal delivery, and babies that are infected this way may be extremely sick. If you have an active outbreak when you go into labor, your doctor will probably recommend a cesarean section.

Once your baby is born, if either you or your boyfriend have a herpes outbreak, you should take care to avoid having the baby come in contact with any lesions. Also, be careful not to touch a lesion and then touch the baby -- always wash your hands thoroughly before caring for your child. Talk with your doctor or nurse about the precautions you can take to protect your baby.