Virus 'affecting pregnant women, causing deaths and defects' '

[freelancegirl]

A London commercial radio station very unhelpfully read this very short news item this
morning about a current virus in the UK causing deaths and defects in unborn babies and said that most women will not know they have this. No more information given. Nothing on online about it from the BBC or any other news site I can find. Anyone know any more?

[OddBoots]

Is it this one?

I was tested to see if I was CMV positive (immune) or negative (not) before I had my first surrogate baby 12 years ago so this isn't something new.

[mousmous]

rubella
cmv
chickenpox all do

my sister had a cmv infection whilst pregnant. dn is fine but until they start school there will be 6 monthly hearing and other tests.

[rainbowfeet]

Yes google it it's called congenital Cytomegalovirus or CMV for short.

There is a lot of false facts being portrayed at the moment & many important facts being left out..

Basically it is a common virus part of the Herpes family that the majority if the population has had in its lifetime but if a person catches it as a primary infection they have no anti-bodies to fight it so if your immune system is already compromised through illness then it can be very serious but if you are pregnant & it's a primary infection then it can be passed on to the unborn baby & cause minor to very major complications depending on gestation..
These can be hearing & sight problems through to brain calcification causing major disability.

The virus is spread through bodily fluids so it is important if you are pregnant to be extra vigilant with hygiene particularly if you have other children ... Ie: always wash your hands after changing nappies etc.. Simply because you wouldn't know if you have already had CMV in the past. Sometimes you will have no symptoms but they are only flu like anyway so you just wouldn't know.

Nobody is trying to scare-monger but people do need to be aware of the virus as it is often missed during scans & not always tested for at birth if any problems are suspected.. The medical community too need educating!!!!!!!

[freelancegirl]

Yes it sounds like it's CMV they were talking about, thanks. Bloody annoying the way they wrote the bulletin - made it sound like it's a new thing and 'going round' if you know what I mean.

[freelancegirl]

Thanks Rainbow, that's helpful. Do they recommend you get tested for it? I'm a recurrent miscarrier so although not overly paranoid like to check things out!

[eurochick]

I was tested for it recently as part of a general infection (TORCH) screen because my baby is measuring small. I was negative, thankfully.

[rainbowfeet]

Sadly Freelance there is no routine check for CMV through the NHS.. It is highly unlikely to be the cause of recurrent miscarriage as once you have had the virus you have anti-bodies to fight the virus should it flare up again. I've never heard of a CMV mum have another infected child after already having one.. Myself I had a healthy baby after my CMV infected one.

It just seems that CMV has been out there wreaking havoc to transplant, cancer & HIV as well as pregnant women & very few people have ever heard of it... This seems wrong & we need people to know it is no different to the threat of Rubella or Toximaplosis to pregnant women.

It is nicknamed 'the stealth virus' because the government has allowed it to silently damage & kill children. Including my own.

[rainbowfeet]

Apologies for my appalling spelling

[mousmous]

my sister was only tested (in another country though) as she's a teacher and there was a confirmed case in her class.

[HalfSpamHalfBrisket]

I only heard about this when I worked in a nursery and helped to care for a girl with severe disabilities caused by her mum (also a childcare worker) catching CMV during pregnancy.
I am surprised that there is little awareness of it - especially amongst women who work with small children who are planning on getting pregnant.

[rainbowfeet]

There is very little research going on for a vaccine ... In the uk I think it's only funded by charity .. It would be amazing if like Rubella congenital CMV infection can be a thing of the past.. But until then just having it out there is such great news.. I hope as many people as poss take a moment to google CMV.

It appears to be more widely publicized in America.. Especially amoungst care givers to young children as it is thought CMV is spread more often through young children just like other viruses ... Maybe this is how I caught it as a primary infection.. I look back & I know I didn't always wash my hands after every nappy change or nose wipe or vomit clear up of my elder dc while pregnant & I kissed her on the mouth that's for sure... The really rubbish thing about CMV is you might never know if you have had it before being pregnant. If like me you hadn't & shit luck you have a primary infection during pregnancy particularly early gestation then it can have devastating results.. Unless you have a brilliant obstetrician then you literally won't know until after your little damaged baby is born & by then the virus has done it's worst.

We really need a research & vaccination program.

[rainbowfeet]

Piece on Sky news this morning was fantastic.. Very factual.. Well done everyone involved

[freelancegirl]

Thanks rainbow, so sorry for what you have been through. I know too it's not what's caused my miscarriages - I'm being treated for that already, it's just I'm on immune suppressant medication in early pregnancy again and it's just another thing to worry about.

Sounds like it's good news it's getting some press attention.

Waves to euro! Hope all is going well with you.