LAUSR

OBJECTIVE To provide an update on current recommendations for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy. The objectives of this guideline are: To improve perinatal care providers' awareness of the consequences of maternal CMV infection for the fetus and the infant; To emphasize the importance of educating patients about how to prevent CMV acquisition during pregnancy To raise perinatal care providers' awareness of new developments in CMV screening and treatment To highlight that a substantial proportion of disability due to congenital CMV (cCMV) can be modified to some extent Target Population: Patients of child-bearing age, pregnant patients, and patients planning a pregnancy. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS The patient partners urged us to make awareness of preventive strategies a high priority, despite concern that discussing CMV with patients could cause unnecessary anxiety. CMV educational interventions have shown benefits from increased awareness of cCMV prevalence and preventive strategies among providers, patients, and families. EVIDENCE We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases for CMV in pregnancy. The search terms were developed using MeSH terms and keywords (Appendix). The results were filtered for articles published between January 2010 and October 2020 and systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical trials, and observational studies. The main inclusion criteria were pregnant patients and infants, as the target population, and CMV infection, as the diagnosis of interest. Recommendations are graded according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force grade of recommendations and level of certainty. Validation Methods: We collaborated with patient partners, including members of CMV Canada (cmvcanada.com). In formulating our recommendations, we included patients' voices to add a unique and valuable perspective, thus ensuring that our recommendations are relevant to the patient-provider partnership. Intended Audience: All perinatal health care providers.