title: Safety of antiviral medication for the treatment of herpes during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of my patients is a pregnant woman in her first trimester with a history of recurrent genital herpes. She is concerned about whether use of her antiviral medication will adversely affect her baby. What should I tell her?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies have shown that the use of acyclovir or valacyclovir is not associated with an increase in birth defects. Limited data exist for famciclovir and therefore it would not be considered a first-line choice for treatment of herpes during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: So-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chua-Gocheco
authors.forename: Pina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bozzo
authors.forename: Adrienne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Einarson
mesh_terms: D015075:2-Aminopurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000212:Acyclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077595:Famciclovir; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018139:Simplexvirus; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015075:2-Aminopurine; D014633:Valine; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D000077595:Famciclovir; D000212:Acyclovir