Intro/any other CMV mommies?

BensBride41604

I'm so glad to find this board!  My DS, Joshua, was diagnosed at 10 days with congenital CMV.  CMV is the most common congenital infection and second only to Down's in causing delay/disabilites.  The virus causes calcifications in the brain to form, causing many different outcomes.  Main concerns are deafness, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, seizures, blindness, brain damage, growth problems, microcephaly or even death.  Joshua is microcephalic (head cir. is 3rd percentile) and has slight hearing loss in his left ear.  He is "severly delayed" in his gross motor development according to his OT, but we're working on that.  Cognitively he's right on schedule.  He hasn't been diagnosed with CP yet, but I have a feeling it's coming.  

I'd also love to educate all you ladies who are going to have more children about this disease!  There's no cure and no vaccine for it yet, but there are ways to avoid it.  This disease only causes problems in children who are born to mothers who contract the virus for the first time while they are pregnant.  When you are thinking about getting pregnant again, you should ask your doctor for a blood titre test to determine whether or not you have the virus already! 

So are there any other mommies with a DC with CMV?  I'd love to talk to others with a little one with this disease!

amajane

Hi, welcome! I am a nurse at a fertility clinic and CMV antibodies is a standard test we run before someone does an IVF cycle. We order many tests BEFORE someone is pregnant that most OBs don't order until a woman is pregnant because we understand the importance of screening people for diseases BEFORE they get pregnant. Anyway, I am familiar with CMV on that level. I will tell you that many people have the IGg antibodies (indicating old infection) and a few test positive for IGm antibodies(indicating a recent infection). I think it is very important to get the word out about CMV. I would bet most ladies on the nest have never heard of this disease. Thank you for taking the time to educate all of us.

BensBride41604

Thanks amajane!  I was very informed about problems that could occur during pregnancy, diseases that would cause problems, things to stay away from when pregnant and I had never heard of CMV.  I wish my RE had tested me for it when we started trying or at least talked to me about it.  I'm glad your clinic tests for it and educates the patients about it. 

hannah&ben

Hi and welcome to the board!  I hope you don't mind but I have a few questions...

What happens if you get pregnant and have never had the virus? 

I know that I do not have the antibodies for CMV - was told when I donated blood for my son's cardiac surgeries - it was one of the conditions of me being able to donate for him. 

I had a big round of bloodwork before this IVF cycle and I know they were checking titres for different diseases - but I don't know if CMV was one of the things they were looking at...

I am 4 weeks pregnant now - should I be concerned? I am going to call my RE in the morning and ask if this was included in my bloodwork (to see if I have may have antibodies now - I suppose I could have been exposed since my son's last surgery).

If I still don't have the antibodies or if it wasn't included in my bloodwork what would you advise my next steps to be?

Thank you -
Hannah

Kristin78

Welcome to the board.  I am a nurse, so I am familar with CMV, but not an expert on it

Can't wait to talk to you more!