16 Jun Did you know that Cytomegalovirus (CMV) 🦠 is the most common infectious cause of disabilities in newborn babies 👶🏻 🤔Did you know that there are simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of CMV transmission to your unborn baby 🤰

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus in the herpesvirus family. 🦠Humans are the only source of CMV. The virus is found in urine, saliva, nasal mucous, breast milk, vaginal secretions and semen of infected people.😳

If a woman is newly infected with CMV while 🤰pregnant, there is a risk that her unborn baby 👶🏻 will also become infected (congenital CMV). Infected babies may, but not always, be born with a disability. The highest risk to the unborn baby occurs when a woman who has never had CMV before is infected with the virus for the first time during the first half of the pregnancy. 😳
🤓 Studies in Australia have shown that about 1 in 1,000 live births, will have permanent disabilities of varying degree from a congenital CMV infection. These can include hearing loss, vision loss, small head size, cerebral palsy, developmental delay or intellectual disability, and in rare cases, death. 😳

Pregnant women 🤰 are recommended to take steps to reduce their risk of exposure to CMV and so reduce the risk of their developing baby becoming infected.
Wash hands often with soap🧼 and running water for at least 15 seconds and dry them thoroughly. This should be done especially after close contact with young children, changing nappies, blowing noses, feeding a young child, and handling children’s toys, dummies/soothers.
🙅‍♂️Do not share food, drinks, eating utensils or toothbrushes with young children.👧
Avoid contact with saliva when kissing a child.😘
Use simple detergent and water to clean toys, countertops and other surfaces that come into contact with children’s urine, mucous or saliva.
🤰Child care workers who are pregnant or considering pregnancy should pay particular attention to good hand hygiene, especially after changing nappies or assisting with blowing noses or toileting.🚽

Together we can stop CMV. For more information go to www.cmv.org.au