title: Periconceptional cytomegalovirus infection: pregnancy outcome and rate of vertical transmission.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate pregnancy outcome and rate of vertical transmission in primary maternal periconceptional cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  All women serologically diagnosed with primary periconceptional CMV infection between 1999 and 2008 were included. Periconceptional infection was defined as primary maternal CMV infection occurring within 4 weeks prior to the last reported menstrual period and up to 3 weeks following the expected date of the missed menstrual period. Intrauterine infection was verified by PCR and shell vial culture of amniotic fluid at 22-24 weeks or neonatal urine culture within 48 h of birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 59 patients studied, 43 (73%) underwent diagnostic amniocentesis. Eleven of the 43 patients (25.5%) were positive for CMV contamination. Ten of the 11 patients (90%) elected to terminate pregnancy. Twelve women (20.3%) declined amniocentesis: of these 2 elected to undergo a first-trimester termination of pregnancy and 10 gave birth to a live-born infant. Six of the ten neonates were negative for CMV and two tested positive for urinary CMV; all eight were healthy on long-term follow-up, and two were lost to follow-up. The remaining four women had a spontaneous first-trimester abortion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of transmission of periconceptional CMV infection is lower than previously reported. These data should be borne in mind when counseling affected couples.
authors.affiliation: Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. dolgaldor@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hadar
authors.forename: Yariv
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yogev
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Melamed
authors.forename: Rony
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amir
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pardo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult