What’s the most common virus transmitted to unborn children?
It’s a little talked about virus known as Cytomegalovirus, or CMV. CMV is a member of the herpes virus family, which includes the herpes simplex viruses and the viruses that cause chicken pox (varicella-zoster virus) and infectious mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus, a.k.a., mono). The virus is found in body fluids, including urine, saliva (spit), breast milk, blood, tears, semen, and vaginal fluids – and once you have it, it’s there for life, although it remains dormant most of the time, causing no signs or symptoms in normally healthy people.
The virus is passed through bodily fluids, including blood, breastmilk and saliva. 33% of women who become infected with CMV pass the virus to their unborn babies during the course of the pregnancy.
So what do you need to know about CMV to protect yourself and your child?
Here are the basic facts, according to the Centers for Disease Control:
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Approximately 1 in 150 children is born with congenital CMV infection
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Approximately 1 in 750 children is born with or develops permanent disabilities due to CMV
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Approximately 8,000 children each year suffer permanent disabilities caused by CMV
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Congenital CMV (meaning present at birth) is as common a cause of serious disability as Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and neural tube defects
Most children who are born with CMV go on to lead completely normal lives, never developing a single sign or symptom of the virus. However, for those who are affected by congenital CMV, temporary symptoms at birth can include:
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Liver, spleen and lung problems
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Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
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Purple skin splotches
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Small size at birth
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Seizures
The more permanent problems caused by CMV can be far more serious and even permanent, including:
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Hearing and vision loss
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Mental disability
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Small head
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Lack of coordination
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Seizures
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Death
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