Tag: CMV

Induction/L&D

Going Home Empty Handed

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By B.B. I was barely 24, single and living with my parents when I found out I was pregnant. I wasn’t certain if I was ready to have children and ambivalent about continuing the pregnancy. My doctor knew all this, and she made a weird face while performing the ultrasound. She said she saw two separate heartbeats. I was carrying twins. I was stunned. My older sister has a set of twin girls; what were the odds of both of us having twins? I knew right then that my choice would be to keep them. My doctor told me that carrying twins automatically put me at high risk, so […]

Stories

What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)?

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) poses a risk to fetal development only when contracted during the first half of pregnancy. Only 40% of these fetuses will develop the infection and of those, only 5 to 15% will have symptoms at birth. In a severely affected fetus, CMV may result in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), microcephaly, calcification in the brain, cognitive disabilities, hearing loss, low blood platelet count and liver enlargement. Recurrent maternal CMV infection (a CMV infection contracted before the pregnancy) does not pose serious risks to the fetus.   Centers for Disease Control – CMV Congential Infection Perinatology – Diagnosis & Management of CMV Infection in Pregnancy Mother-to-Baby – Cytomegalovirus (CMV) […]