The New York Times ran a moving story in their October 25, 2016 issue about children who contract cytomegalovirus (CMV) from their mothers while in utero. CMV is a Greater Threat for Infants Than Zika, but far Less Often Discussed reminded me of the children I have treated with CMV: multiply-disabled, with parents that didn’t know what those initials stood for until they heard them from their child’s doctor at diagnosis.
Deafness, blindness, cognitive and motor delays; sometimes the whole enchilada. All from a virus that may not be evident in the mother or her family. It is rampant in toddlers, those adorable beings who pick their nose and then touch every cookie on a plate, who put toys in their mouth then want a sip of your drink.
The most likely carrier of CMV in your family is your toddler in daycare. They are bringing home more than macaroni pictures. They may not even spike a fever and still have CMV.
The NYT reported that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not insist on obstetricians mentioning this virus to patients because no treatment is available and no action is an iron-clad preventive. They believe that patients should initiate the discussion and discuss what their concerns are rather than be told directly about CMV.
That’s like saying that because I cannot promise that you will never be struck by lightening, I won’t mention that sitting under a tree in a storm means that you are taking a risk! I will let you ask me about how to prevent electrocution.
This is a bit of effort, but there are simple things you can do to reduce but not eliminate your risk while pregnant by:
- wash your hands well after changing a child’s diaper or wiping them after toilet use. Don’t check your phone on the way to the sink; wash first.
- Do not share drinks or food with your children while pregnant. Serve them a bite on their plate, not by nibbling on your food. Cheerfully pour them a fresh cup of what you are drinking.
- Teach your children to wash their hands well, and encourage hand washing in the adults in your home.
I wash my hands as soon as I enter a family’s home for treatment, regardless of the age of the children. I don’t know if that mom is pregnant. She might not know yet either.
Wash your own hands like it meant the future of your unborn child; it could.
