Early detection of active Human CytomegaloVirus (hCMV) infection in pregnant women using data generated for noninvasive fetal aneuploidy testing.

Background: Prenatal hCMV infections can lead to severe embryopathy and neurological sequelae in neonates. Screening during pregnancy is not recommended by global societies, as there is no effective therapy. Recently, several groups showed that maternal-fetal hCMV transmission can be strongly reduced by administering anti-viral agents early in pregnancy.