Purpose: we aimed to estimate the anxiety levels of pregnant women following maternal serum screening for CMV infection. Materials and methods: In this case-control study conducted from April 2016 to June 2017, we enrolled all pregnant women referred to our hospital who were CMV immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibody positive (IgM-positive group, n = 51); further, those who were CMV IgG positive but IgM negative (IgM-negative group, n = 51) during the same period were included as study controls. Data were collected on patient characteristics, CMV IgM levels, and whether patients were accompanied by their partners during the first hospital visit after CMV IgM testing. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to assess anxiety levels. Results: Both groups were age matched [mean age (years): IgM-positive, 30 ± 4.2 and IgM-negative, 29.9 ± 4.6]. The mean state-anxiety score was higher in the IgM-positive group (53 ± 9.6) than in the IgM-negative group (38.5 ± 7.0, p < .05) with no between-group differences in trait-anxiety scores. Similarly, a higher number of women were accompanied by their partners in the IgM-positive group. The state-anxiety scores and CMV IgM levels were not correlated in the IgM-positive group. Conclusion: Counseling support is essential for IgM-positive pregnant women following serum screening, and the screening should be avoided if support systems are unavailable.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading cause of neurological sequelae in infants. Understanding the risk factors of primary CMV infection is crucial in establishing preventive strategies. Thus, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify risk factors of vertical transmission among pregnant women with immunoglobulin (Ig) M positivity. The study included 456 pregnant women with IgM positivity. Information on age, parity, occupation, clinical signs, IgM levels, and IgG avidity index (AI) was collected. The women were divided into infected and non-infected groups. The two groups showed significant differences in IgM level, IgG AI, number of women with low IgG AI, clinical signs, and number of pregnant women with single parity. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, pregnant women with single parity and low IgG AI were independent predictors. Among 40 women who tested negative for IgG antibody in their previous pregnancy, 20 showed low IgG AI in their current pregnancy. Among the 20 women, 4 had vertical transmission. These results provide better understanding of the risk factors of vertical transmission in pregnant women with IgM positivity.

The use of prenatal antibiotics should be carefully considered, owing to their potential adverse effects on neonatal outcomes. This study aimed to identify the contributing factors to early-onset neonatal infection and to determine the influence of antepartum antibiotics on women and neonates. This study included 127 pregnant women without obvious intra-amniotic infection on admission, who delivered under 34 weeks of gestation. Information on maternal and neonatal characteristics was obtained from their medical charts. Vaginal swabs were taken from all women on admission. In total, 29 (22.8%) neonates developed early-onset infection. Multivariate analysis revealed that antepartum antibiotics were the most strongly associated factor for early-onset neonatal infection (odds ratio, 11.2; 95% confidence interval, 4.08–31.02). The frequency of early-onset neonatal infection was significantly higher in women who received antibiotic therapy than in those who did not; no significant difference in prolonging their gestation or neonatal morbidities was observed. The prevalence of women who hosted vaginal microorganisms on admission was similar to that in women whose infants subsequently developed early-onset neonatal infection compared with that of women whose infants did not. Among infants of the 40 women who received antepartum antibiotic therapy, 21 developed early-onset infection. Of the women who delivered these 21 infants, 62% (13/21) showed reduced lactobacilli and 43% (9/21) had resistant bacterial strains in their vaginal microbiota at the time of delivery. The use of antepartum antibiotics is the most strongly associated factor in early-onset neonatal infection; it does not prolong gestation and would change the vaginal environment.