Cytomegalovirus infection in pregnancy: preliminary findings from a prospective study.

8278 (56%) of 14 789 pregnant women who were screened for cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies at their first antenatal visit were seropositive. 42 (3 per 1000) infants screened were congenitally infected. 3 (7%) have serious handicaps, 14 (33%) have minor or transient problems, and 25 (60%) have so far had no problems. In 26 of the 42 mothers with infected infants CMV antibodies were present in the first antenatal blood sample. 28 (67%) of the infected infants were born to mothers who had experienced a primary infection in pregnancy and 7 (17%) to mothers who had experienced recurrent infection. In the remaining 7 (17%) it was not possible to determine the type of maternal infection. One handicapped infant was born after a probable recurrent CMV infection during pregnancy. These preliminary findings suggest that routine screening of pregnant women to detect evidence of primary CMV infection is not helpful.