What is CMV?

CMV (Cytomegalovirus) is a common virus that most people get at some point, often without symptoms. Once infected, it stays in the body, usually dormant.

CMV and pregnancy – is there a risk?

For most people, CMV is harmless. However, if a pregnant woman gets CMV for the first time, it can pass to the baby during pregnancy. In most cases, babies born with CMV experience no health issues, and in very rare instances, complications in connection to congenital CMV can occur.

What does CMV-positive and CMV-negative mean?

CMV testing typically involves checking for two types of antibodies: IgG and IgM. These antibodies indicate whether a person has been exposed to CMV and help determine their current infection status.

CMV IgG:

• CMV IgG positive donor: Has had a CMV infection before but is not contagious.
• CMV IgG negative donor: Has never had a CMV infection.

CMV IgM:

• CMV IgM positive donor: Indicates a recent or an active infection. To mitigate the small risk, the donations will be destroyed and the donor deferred until the infection is no longer active.
• CMV IgM negative donor: No active CMV infection.

How to choose?

If you are CMV IgG negative, it’s usually recommended to choose a CMV IgG negative donor to avoid first-time infection as there is a small theoretical risk of infection if using a CMV IgG positive donor.
If you are CMV IgG positive, you can choose either status. Around 50% of all women have had CMV before they become pregnant and therefore are CMV IgG positive. Selecting a donor with an active infection (CMV IgM positive donor) is not possible. 

You can filter by CMV status in our donor overview to find the right donor for you. Not sure? Check with your treating clinic before making a decision, or ask us in the chat or book a meeting with us. We're here to answer your questions.