Topic: CAN LYME BE PASSED FROM PATERNAL PARENT TO FETUS?
kreynolds
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15117
posted
To Everyone:
*I have Chronic Lyme Disease. My wife and I have one child, but if in the future we wanted to have another child, would my Lyme be passed to the baby?
*I've heard that it's possible to pass the Lyme from maternal parent to fetus, but can it be passed from paternal parent to fetus. Can Lyme be passed sexually?
*We weren't sure, so if anyone has any links or info please reply back.
*Sorry to edit the post, but we wanted to be more specific...As in if the father has Lyme, can he pass it to the fetus when conceived?
Quest: + Bartonella (B.Henselea & B. Quintana),+ Babesia, and + Mycoplasma and Lyme-Induced Addisons Disease
+ Biofilm blood test 12/2010 Posts: 1185 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2008
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CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
yes! it can. Maybe you could consider talking to the pediatric guru, Dr CRJ in CT about this.
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
For sure thru the placenta and breast feeding....some say yes and some say no on the sexually.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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lymie_in_md
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Member # 14197
posted
Sad to report, there is a family in my neighborhood with 3 children with lyme via the womb. She was diagonosed with lyme after their deliveries. They are all being treated by an LLMD for the past two years.
-------------------- Bob Posts: 2150 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
One of my two children I am sure is congenital.
The other one....I don't know.
I had no idea I had Lyme.
My Ob-Gyn thought I had West Nile.
I went on to nurse my second baby for over a year.
If I had known, I would have been on amoxil for my whole pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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lymeparfait
Unregistered
posted
Yes! But my llmd says that the mother, during pregnancy should be on antibiotics during the whole time. This usually has the baby born uninfected. But to never breast feed the newborn! Your wife can get it from you.
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lymie_in_md
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Member # 14197
posted
I don't disagree with the LLMD. He is right about preventing lyme from gaining a foot hold on the new baby, but the loss is the good bacteria from the mother. Imagine if that bacteria is lost from the fetus. The good bacteria is from all generations in our past. I wonder what that loss is? I'm not sure if anyone knows that damage.
A question for the doctor is how to pass good probiotics to the new born child. It will have to defend itself against candida and host of other pathogenic bacteria.
-------------------- Bob Posts: 2150 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
K...
Not sure what folks are responding to?? Someone.. most likely me.. is confused possibly?
IF they are saying Lyme can be passed to an unborn fetus if the father has Lyme but the mother doesn't...
I don't think so??
I know of NO studies or proof that a father's sperm can meet with a mothers egg and the baby can get Lyme that way.
I can't say it is impossible... just that I would think it is highly unlikely?
Dopn't know if that answered your question or not.
Keep in mind.. folks can have the Lyme bacteria present and no symptoms.
posted
If the mother does NOT have lyme, but the father does...if the question is: can the father transmit lyme via the sperm to the egg then the zygote....the answer is no. There is no evidence of any pathogen being transmittted this way.
If lyme has been detected in "sperm", it is probably in the seminal fluid, and not the individual single-celled sperm cell per se. The father passes on one half of the genetic information in the sperm cell, and that is all.
Posts: 393 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I agree with CD57. call Dr. J an see what he has to say. You need an expert to answer this question.
Posts: 488 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2004
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I want to throw in there that it's not always passed from mother to child either. It is possible, yes, from mother to child, but not a sure thing.
Only one of my kids has Lyme and she had her own tick bite, so we don't know whether it was congenital or not.
My husband does not have Lyme. He is not "protected" from me.
Basically, we just don't know for sure about sexual transmission.
I would say no it can't be passed from father to fetus, but maybe from father to mother to fetus .... we just don't know.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I agree that I don't think there are any studies proving that a male can pass lyme to the fetus.
I am not sure about sexually. I have lyme and my husband does not. We will be trying for another baby (hopefully soon!) and I will be on abx. for the entire pregnancy.
From my understanding, if you are treated the entire time you are pregnant, then it is highly unlikely to pass it on to the baby. I will not be breastfeeding (that makes me sad though).
My LLMD believes that if you are in a remission and get pregnant, that there is a good chance you will not pass the lyme to the baby. However, it is safer to treat to be sure.
Some people tell me I am crazy to get pregnant, but I really believe (and have talked to tons of women who had babies with lyme while treated) that it can be avoided with treatment.
Posts: 871 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
I don't usually post a reply, as there are many others that have much more knowledge than I!!
This happens to be a 'touchy' subject for me!
I should start by saying that I've had Lyme, bart, babs, rmsf for 18 years. However, I was just diagnosed 2 years ago.
I have a 13 year old that I DID INFECT DURING PREGNANCY!! He's had many symptoms since the day he was born! And yes, I breast fed for nine monthes. To know now, that a small dose of abx, and by not breast feeding may have spared him angers me so!!!
However, There is NO doubt that I infected him via the placenta, and/or breast feeding.
I have done much research since I was diagnosed. Thus far, I have not found anything to support sexually transmitting the disease or any co-infections.
BUT, my husband is being tested right now!! He has developed some symptoms in the last year that have made me a little nervous. This is just to be on the safe side.
Has your wife ever been tested????
Also, if anyone knows different-----PLEASE correct me, but it is my understanding that these bacteria's cannot survive oxegen. Does anyone know if that is true or not????
If it is true, then I would think that it would be difficult to pass on to your partner.
To not have a child would be sad and very hard to take.
DO NOT take any advice from me, but I would at least have her tested.
Wishing you all the best!
Posts: 351 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
Scared08, when you say that your baby exhibited symptoms from the start what do you mean? What types of symptoms?
Posts: 35 | From MA | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
yes, can you please post the symptoms. I am interested. i have a 3 year old who I breastfed for 20 months and I know that if I was not infected before getting pregnant, I was definitely infected while I was breastfeeding.
I do not think he is showing any symptoms though. He is a happy, energetic 3 year old!
My LLMD has 3 kids (all infected with lyme through pregnancy) and she said that I would know by now if he had lyme disease- he would have some symptoms. I know others have different opinions on this though.
Posts: 871 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2007
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MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
As for pregnancy and 'good bacteria', I think there was a study a couple of years ago that was in the news which showed that women who took probiotics or ate yogurt tended to have children with slightly higher IQ. Anyone remember reading about that?
If I wanted kids I think I'd definitely supplement with a lot of probiotics while pregnant if I were to take antibiotics to prevent congenital transmission. I'm of course not a health professional, that's just my opinion.
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