CMV in pregnancy can cause lifelong disabilities in babies

What the research found

Australian health pages say CMV can pass from mother to baby in pregnancy. Around one in ten infected babies will have lasting problems. These can include deafness, poor eyesight, intellectual disability and a small head. Another page lists cerebral palsy and developmental delay, and says hearing loss is the most common problem.

A 2021 meta-analysis of 15 studies and 235,026 children found congenital CMV was linked to a much higher risk of childhood hearing loss. A 2019 study followed 157 children with proven congenital CMV for 22 years. About 12.7% had sensorineural hearing loss, and hearing often changed over time.

A 2007 meta-analysis found about 11% of live-born infants with congenital CMV were symptomatic at birth. A 2020 meta-analysis called CMV a major cause of long-term neurological problems. Risk of hearing loss was higher when the mother's first infection came early in pregnancy.

What it doesn’t mean

• Most babies with CMV are born healthy. One Australian page says CMV occurs in 1% or less of pregnancies, and less than 10% of those babies are likely to have severe illness.
• Not every problem is lifelong. In the 2019 study, hearing improved in some children, and it progressed or fluctuated in others. Early antiviral treatment in newborns may improve hearing outcomes.
• If you are pregnant and worried about CMV, or have contact with many young children, talk to your GP. Good hand hygiene, especially after nappies and wiping noses, lowers the chance of infection.