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Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection occurs in about 1 in 150 live births in the U.S. Maternal CMV infection during pregnancy can be diagnosed with serum antibody testing. The CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have issued guidelines for reducing the risk for CMV infection (see Table 1).
The ACOG investigators surveyed practicing OB/GYNs to assess knowledge and counseling practices concerning prevention of CMV infection during pregnancy.
The response rate was 50%. Most respondents (90%) reported knowing that hand washing reduces the risk for CMV infection; 57% were aware that infection rates can be reduced by not sharing eating utensils, and 55% knew that avoiding contact with children’s saliva diminishes infection rates. More than one half of the OB/GYNs reported that they routinely recommended hand washing in general during pregnancy, whereas approximately one third recommended not sharing eating utensils and avoiding contact with children’s saliva. Overall, 44% of respondents said that they provided counsel about preventing CMV infection during pregnancy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Knowledge and practices of obstetricians and gynecologists regarding cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy — United States, 2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2008 Jan 25; 57:65.
Comment
Given the relatively low response rate and the possibility of biased self-reporting, these results are likely to overestimate the true knowledge and counseling habits among practicing U.S. OB/GYNs regarding CMV infection. Clearly, many respondents did not have a good understanding about CMV infection, nor did they counsel their patients routinely about prevention. An editorial note stresses that the number of children who develop CMV infections each year is similar to or even higher than the number affected by neural tube defects or Down syndrome. Typically, CMV infection is found in as many as 25% of preschool children, and most infections occur through contact with infected body fluids, including saliva and urine. Many prenatal information forms have a section about CMV. One would hope that this report will prompt clinicians to be more thorough in their counseling about this preventable cause of childhood disability.