Come join the National CMV Foundation at the second CMV Public Health & Policy Conference on September 26th and 27th in Austin, Texas as we present the latest research on diagnosis and treatment of CMV, delineate prevention efforts, provide information about early intervention options, and disseminate family support resources. Conference tracks include topics such as Research to Practice, Public Health Implications, Early Intervention, and Family Support. Clinicians, researchers, public health professionals, and university faculty, as well as parents and students, can register now!
Cytomegalovirus, commonly referred to as CMV, is a member of the herpesvirus family. It is common and typically harmless to the general population – between 50 and 80 percent of people in the United States have had a CMV infection before the age of 40. Once CMV is in a person’s body, it stays there for life. CMV is the most common viral infection that infants are born with in the United States. Approximately 1-4 percent of uninfected women have a primary (or first) CMV infection during a pregnancy, and about 40 percent of women who become infected with CMV for the first time during pregnancy pass the virus to their babies.
CMV is preventable! Every pregnant woman is at risk for acquiring CMV. There are simple and effective prevention measures you and your loved ones can take to mitigate the risk of CMV transmission during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about CMV.
CMV can present a critical problem for babies who are infected with CMV before birth, referred to as congenital CMV. Roughly 30,000 children are born with congenital CMV each year, and more than 5,000 children suffer from permanent problems.