General information, not an individual diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional if you are unsure about your situation.
Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, can spread through direct contact with secretions, including saliva and urine. Children under three may carry it without being ill, so waiting for a cold will not identify every risky contact.
During pregnancy, do not finish a young child’s meal or put their spoon or dummy in your mouth. These precautions avoid contact with saliva even when the object looks clean.
Avoid kissing a young child on the mouth or eyes and do not share their toothbrush, towel or flannel. The precautions concern secretions; they do not mean giving up time together.
Wash your hands with soap and water after changing a nappy or contact with urine, and after wiping a nose or handling saliva. Regularly clean objects and surfaces that may be contaminated.
Ameli recommends these precautions for pregnant women and their partners with family or workplace contact with young children. The other parent is also concerned because the virus can spread through saliva and sexual contact.
Infection may go unnoticed and affect the baby, including their hearing. Discuss these contacts with the doctor or midwife following the pregnancy: daily precautions complement medical care and cannot establish an infection on their own.
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