Management of pregnancies with confirmed cytomegalovirus fetal infection

Abstract

Systematic screening for cytomegalovirus (CMV) maternal infection is not recommended in most countries. Nevertheless, primary CMV infection will occur in around 1% of women. The vertical transmission rate is estimated to be around 30-50%. Newborns with congenital CMV infection remain asymptomatic in the majority of cases and around 10% will present with a wide range of abnormalities. Fetal infection can be diagnosed by amniocentesis with amplification of the viral genome in the amniotic fluid by polymerase chain reaction. This prenatal diagnosis is mainly performed when ultrasound abnormalities are observed. The purpose of this mini-review is to describe the management options when a fetus is known to be infected.