Cytomegalovirus and pregnancy: causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment
Fatigue, fever, body aches ... You can be infected with a cytomegalovirus without knowing it ... The infection usually goes unnoticed. How to find and treat?
What is cytomegalovirus?
This virus is not well known, yet it is one of the most common viral infections in developed countries. The virus is especially dangerous for future mothers. It contracts with young children (under 4 years of age in general) and can sometimes contaminate the fetus. Indeed, when the future mother is infected for the first time, she can transmit the virus to her baby. If the mother has already had CMV, she is usually immune. It is then very rare that it can contaminate it.
What are the causes and symptoms of cytomegalovirus?
CMV is present in the blood, urine, tears, saliva, nasal secretions, etc. He comes from the same family as the herpes virus. It sometimes causes some flu symptoms: fatigue, low fever, body aches, etc. But the infection usually goes unnoticed.
Cytomegalovirus: how can the virus be transmitted to the baby? What are the risks ?
If the pregnant woman is contaminated for the first time, the risks are greater. She can transmit the virus to her future baby via the placenta (in 30 to 50% of cases). The risk of transmission is higher in the first trimester of pregnancy. In the most serious cases, the sequelae may be: deafness, mental retardation, psychomotor deficit ... Of the 150 to 270 children born each year and are infected, 30 to 60 have clinical or biological abnormalities related to CMV. * If, on the other hand, the mother-to-be has already been contaminated, she is immune. Cases of recontamination are very rare and the risks of transmission to the fetus are very low: only 3% of cases.
Pregnancy: is there a screening for cytomegalovirus?
Today, no screening is routinely done during pregnancy, except in some cases. If abnormalities appear on the ultrasound (baby's growth retardation, lack of amniotic fluid, etc.), it is possible to take a blood test at the mother to see if the virus is present or not. If the result is positive, then amniocentesis is performed, the only way to see if the fetus is also affected. A Pregnancy Medical Interruption (IMG) can be performed in case of severe brain damage.
Is there a treatment for cytomegalovirus?
No curative or preventive treatment exists to date. If the hopes lie in a future vaccination, it is not yet relevant. One way to avoid contamination: to respect good hygiene.
Cytomegalovirus & pregnancy: how to prevent it?
No need to panic the future moms. To avoid any contamination, it is especially important to respect some rules of hygiene. Especially for people who are in contact with children under 4: nursery nurses, nursery assistants, nurses, nursery staff ...