Infos from your gynecologist about the cytomegalovirus infection

Cytomegalovirus can be transmitted through contact with body fluids or mucus-skin contact and through blood and blood products. The initial infection usually runs with or without characteristic symptoms (fever, lymphadenopathy). Rarely, it can also lead to jaundice or myocarditis. Severe infection courses are mainly observed only in immune-compromised patients.

During pregnancy, the virus through the placenta or at birth through the birth canal to the child can be transferred. Particularly at risk are children of mothers who have gone through the initial infection in pregnancy. Approximately 5 - 15% of these kids wear and damage which are born with the so-called "congenital" cytomegalovirus syndrome (hepatic and splenic enlargement, anemia, brain involvement, convulsions). Of these children have 90% long-term damage (mental and physical development is lagging behind, intelligence deficits, language and hearing disorders).

Through a blood test at your gynecologist can be determined whether previously an infection was made and a relative immunity or not. While this immune protection prevents not sure an unborn child infection, but makes this unlikely.

In the absence of immune protection should regular checks in order to identify an emerging infection can. Preventive and therapeutic measures do not exist. If a recent infection detected during pregnancy, an ultrasound examination of the child is carried out at a Pränatalspezialisten and possibly an amniocentesis to see if the child has been infected.

To this end, as your gynecologist I have been working together in this field in Munich with the most competent specialists.