CMV positive

[Lalla525]

I'm very confused. I tester positive for CMV IGG (REACTIVE) and negative for CMV IGM (NON-REACTIVE).

Should I worry? Does anybody have any experience of CMV in pregnancy?

These results indicate past infection (IgM would be positive in recent or reactivated CMV infection).
Why were you tested? Whoever requested the test should explain the results to you.

Thanks. Is past infection bad for baby? I have my appointment to review the results next week but felt scared and was looking for reassurance. I'm not a healthcare professional so no idea.

I din't know what the results mean so I think you need to ask your midwife. If it's an old infection as pp said then it should be ok, if it's a new infection then there's a lot of risks associated with it and you need to get educated on that.
How many weeks are you? Generally the further along you are, the less severe consequences if the baby gets infected.
Before anyone jumps and says it will be ok even if it's a recent infection - I know someone who had a baby with congenital CMV and it wasn't ok.
CMV is part of the TORCH screening btw so it is routine in some places (but I am not in the UK).

Hi OP,

As PP said, the IGG result for this test means you have the antibodies for the infection so have had it at some point in your life and are now immune to a new infection. I don't know the exact statistics but a huge number of people have had the infection at a young age and now have immunity. The virus is a bit like a cold sore or chicken pox in that once you've been infected it will remain in your body dormant/inactive. Reactivation is rare and you don't need to worry about that because your blood results don't suggest any reactivation. You are in the same position as most pregnant women.

IGM are the first antibodies produced in a new infection before IGG takes over and stays circulating. Because you are IGM negative, there is no sign of a recent infection (I don't know if anyone knows exact time scales but I would imagine IGM would disappear over a few months-half a year) and any infection would almost certainly have been well before pregnancy (probably childhood), especially if you are early in pregnancy

Do you have any reason to suspect an infection for your child or was it a routine test? In any event these results are nothing to worry about - in fact, it's good to know you won't catch cmv during the rest of your pregnancy and risk acute infection!

Thanks very much for explanation - it put my mind at rest. It was a routine test.