Cytomegalovirus and rubella seroprevalence in pregnant women in Izmir/Turkey: follow-up and results of pregnancy outcome.

Purpose: It is aimed to determine the Rubella and CMV prevalence in the pregnant women in Izmir and to research the effect of these infections on the course of pregnancy in the pregnant women exposed to infection during pregnancy.

Methods: The pregnant women applied to pregnancy outpatient department during 2001-2008 have been examined with enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (VIDAS; bioMérieux) method in terms of Rubella and CMV IgM and IgG antibodies and CMV IgG avidity test.

Results: Totally 5,959 pregnant women were included in the study. The seropositivity rates for Rubella and CMV were found as 97.8 and 98.3 %, IgM positivity rates were found as 0.37 and 0.18 %, respectively. Curettage was recommended to the pregnant women in which Rubella IgM positivity was detected in the first trimester of the pregnancy. Eight of the pregnant women in which IgM was found as positive after the 20th week of pregnancy were examined and three intrauterine growth retardation, one hypospadias and three normal deliveries were seen in these pregnant women. Any congenital anomaly finding was not detected in the pregnant women with positive CMV IgM.

Conclusions: Seroprevalence values are high for Rubella and CMV in our region. It can be recommended not to check the pregnant women routinely for this purpose with the good implementation of Rubella vaccine programs.