The risk of passing HIV infection from mother to baby can also be reduced with antiviral medication. Women who are pregnant can become infected with STDs in the same ways as women who are not pregnant. Pregnancy does not provide women or their unborn children any protection against STDs. Genital herpes and bacterial vaginosis are more common STDs in pregnant women. All women, whether they are pregnant or not, need to protect themselves against STDs.
Prevention is the key to protection.
To reduce this risk, the pregnant woman should insist that her partner use a latex condom every time they engage in sexual activity involving oral, anal, or vaginal penetration. Protection is critical throughout the pregnancy, including the last trimester when any active infection can present a great threat to the health of a woman and her unborn child. It is also of great importance for the pregnant woman to be open and honest with her health care provider about her sexual history. Having this background information will aid the physician in caring for the pregnant mother and the unborn child. More than 85 percent of the most common infectious diseases are sexually transmitted.