CMV (Cytomegalovirus) is a devastating illness. When you look up CMV online, you see that most of the time, it never causes any issues. CMV is spread by bodily fluids and a lot of times is spread from healthy children who carry the virus to others. During pregnancy, CMV can cause a host of other issues. You can infect your baby in the womb. Some babies have serious issues all throughout pregnancy and some babies are born completely healthy, only to be affected later. CMV can cause low birth weight, enlarged organs, poorly functioning liver and/or spleen, dark splotches or a rash on the skin of the newborn or degenerative issues in children who weren't affected at birth. Children with CMV at birth can later experience loss of vision and hearing, loss of brain function and seizures along with some other issues. Most people who have CMV never experience any issues. If you are pregnant and have any signs of a mononucleosis like illness, GO TO A DOCTOR. Know that CMV is very similar to mononucleosis and that it isn't always caught. No one told me the risks of CMV or that it even existed, even when I was diagnosed with mono during pregnancy. Be in charge of your own health as well as your unborn babies because sometimes even the doctors don't know what is really going on.
Statistics: (From CDC)
Congenital CMV infection causes more long-term problems and childhood deaths than Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and neural tube defects.
In one survey, only 22% of women in the U.S. had heard of CMV, compared with 97% who had heard of Down syndrome and 98% who had heard of HIV/AIDS (Jeon 2006). A more recent study found that only 14% of women in the U.S. had heard of CMV (Ross 2008). In addition, research indicates that fewer than half of obstetricians talk to their pregnant patients about CMV (MMWR, Jan. 25, 2008) (Yes, I did post this twice... I can't believe the numbers!)
CMV is the most important of the congenital diseases. {Taken from my son's autopsy report}
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 1 in every 150 children is born with congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus). CMV is the most common congenital (meaning present at birth) infection in the United States and is the most common viral cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities, including deafness, blindness, cerebral palsy, mental and physical disabilities, seizures, and death.
CMV is a common virus, present in saliva, urine, tears, blood, and mucus, and is carried by 70 percent of healthy infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children who contract the virus from their peers. About 60 percent of women are at risk for contracting CMV during pregnancy, posing a major risk to mothers, daycare workers, preschool teachers, therapists, and nurses.
Statistics: (From CDC)
- Between 30% and 50% of women of childbearing age in the United States have never been infected with CMV.
- In the United States, about 1%-4% of (1-4 of every 100) uninfected women have a primary (or first) CMV infection during a pregnancy
- About 33% of (33 of every 100) women who become infected with CMV for the first time during pregnancy pass the virus to their fetuses.
- CMV is the most common viral infection that infants are born with in the United States.
- About 1 in 150 children is born with congenital (meaning present at birth) CMV infection. This means that in the United States, about 30,000 children are born with congenital CMV infection each year.
- About 1 in 750 children in the United States is born with or develops permanent problems due to congenital CMV infection. In the United States, more than 5,000 children each year suffer permanent problems caused by CMV infection.
- About 80% of (80 of every 100) babies born with congenital CMV infection never have symptoms or problems.
Congenital CMV infection causes more long-term problems and childhood deaths than Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and neural tube defects.
In one survey, only 22% of women in the U.S. had heard of CMV, compared with 97% who had heard of Down syndrome and 98% who had heard of HIV/AIDS (Jeon 2006). A more recent study found that only 14% of women in the U.S. had heard of CMV (Ross 2008). In addition, research indicates that fewer than half of obstetricians talk to their pregnant patients about CMV (MMWR, Jan. 25, 2008) (Yes, I did post this twice... I can't believe the numbers!)
CMV is the most important of the congenital diseases. {Taken from my son's autopsy report}
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 1 in every 150 children is born with congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus). CMV is the most common congenital (meaning present at birth) infection in the United States and is the most common viral cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities, including deafness, blindness, cerebral palsy, mental and physical disabilities, seizures, and death.
CMV is a common virus, present in saliva, urine, tears, blood, and mucus, and is carried by 70 percent of healthy infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children who contract the virus from their peers. About 60 percent of women are at risk for contracting CMV during pregnancy, posing a major risk to mothers, daycare workers, preschool teachers, therapists, and nurses.