Can I get pregnant if I have cytomegalovirus?

Pregnant women are very worried that getting sick during pregnancy will affect the baby, but pregnant women have weak physical constitutions during pregnancy and are bound to encounter diseases. Various types of gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, colds of pregnant women, etc. will make many mothers worry. However, in comparison, viral infection is more uncomfortable, especially cytomegalovirus. Whether patients with this type of infection can continue to be pregnant has become a problem of concern to everyone.

What is cytomegalovirus?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a DNA virus of the herpesvirus group. The virus can invade the lungs, liver, kidneys, salivary glands, other mammary glands, as well as multinucleated leukocytes and lymphocytes. It can be excreted chronically or intermittently from saliva, milk, sweat, blood, urine, semen, and uterine secretions. Therefore, it has multiple transmission routes such as oral cavity, reproductive tract, placenta, blood transfusion or organ transplantation. Usually most people have been infected, and a large number of people have latent infections that do not cause disease, so ordinary people do not need to worry too much.

However, if a pregnant woman is infected with the virus, special attention should be paid. Cytomegalovirus is one of the most common viruses that cause intrauterine infection. Pregnant women with cytomegalovirus infection can infect the fetus through the placenta. In mild cases, it is a latent infection. In severe cases, it can lead to miscarriage, fetal malformation, fetal growth restriction (FGR) and premature birth. Relevant studies have shown that the probability of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborns is 0.2%-2%. Congenital cytomegalovirus infection is the main cause of sensorineural deafness and mental retardation.

What is the difference between IgG and IgM?

People infected with CMV are usually familiar with IgG and IgM. What is the difference between the two? Generally, IgG and IgM are immunoglobulins, or antibodies, in the body. Under normal circumstances, IgG is positive and IgM is negative.

Specifically for cytomegalovirus, if the IgG test for cytomegalovirus is positive, it means that there is a certain immunity to the virus and it has little impact on pregnancy. If IgM is positive, it means that the baby has been recently infected with the virus, which can have a great impact on the fetus.

Is it necessary to terminate the pregnancy if a pregnant woman is infected with cytomegalovirus?

Because CMV may cause miscarriage, fetal malformation, fetal growth restriction (FGR) and premature birth, many pregnant women infected with CMV have concerns about continuing their pregnancy. Is it necessary for pregnant women infected with cytomegalovirus to terminate the pregnancy?

For women of childbearing age who are planning to become pregnant, it is best to first perform CMV screening before pregnancy to distinguish between primary infection (referring to the host's first infection with CMV, and the lack of any specific antibodies to CMV before infection; infants under 6 months old may have IgG antibodies passively acquired from the mother), active infection, latent infection and susceptible persons.

If it is a primary infection or active infection, pregnancy should be postponed. If it is a latent infection, pregnancy can continue. Susceptible people should take measures to reduce the chance of contact with the virus during pregnancy, avoid infection, and pay attention to follow-up examinations during pregnancy. Once primary infection is confirmed during pregnancy, amniotic fluid should be collected in the middle and late stages of pregnancy to test for CMV DNA, and fetal development should be closely observed by ultrasound. If there is any malformation, the pregnancy should be terminated promptly. If the pregnancy continues, umbilical cord blood should be collected at delivery to test for CMV infection. The newborn should be closely followed up to detect problems in a timely manner and intervene early to reduce the harm caused by CMV infection.