# Cytomegalovirus Infection Screening in Pregnant Women from Northwest Romania: Results of a 15-Year Follow-Up Program

## TL;DR

This study analyzed 15 years of CMV screening data in pregnant women from Northwest Romania, finding high immunity and low primary infection rates, but low adherence to retesting.

## Contribution

The study provides a long-term analysis of CMV seroprevalence trends and screening adherence in a specific Romanian population.

## Key findings

- 90.15% of tests showed prior CMV infection immunity in pregnant women.
- Only 0.51% of at-risk women had primary CMV infections during pregnancy.
- Adherence to retesting was low despite probable primary infection risks.

## Abstract

Pregnancy-related cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may have negative consequences on the developing fetus and child. In Romania, screening for CMV infection is included in the first prenatal evaluation. We aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence rates in pregnant women who underwent screening over 15 years (May 2008–February 2023). We evaluated 28,012 pregnant women, from whom 23,970 (85.57%) had an index CMV screening, and 4082 had at least two presentations during the same or consecutive pregnancies. A total of 32,290 paired anti-CMV IgM/IgG serological tests were performed. Passed infection with IgG positivity represented 90.15% (29,110) of all tests, corresponding to 28,649 women (88.72%). The seroprevalence increased with women’s age, was more frequently associated with rural residence, and decreased in time intervals. A total of 2322 women (9.69%) displaying an IgM/IgG negative pattern were at risk of acquiring the infection during pregnancy. Only 144 out of 2342 (6.14%) women at risk presented twice during the same pregnancy, of which 12 women (0.51%) displayed a pattern of primary infection. Our population from Northwest Romania shows a high rate of immunization against CMV infection and a low risk of primary infection. We found a low adherence to retesting in cases of probable primary CMV infections, which highlights the need for infection mitigation by hygiene measures and improvement of the existing protocols.