# Egg Donation - Cmv



## Nicky (Apr 23, 2003)

As you know, DH and I are again waiting for an egg donor/egg sharer.

My CMV test was negative and sadly our clinic quotes 12 months plus wait for CMV neg recipients, but rather unfairly only 6 months for CMV pos recipients.

My little bit of research revealed that apparently this means I haven't been exposed to CMV and therefore have no antibodies, but I don't really know much else.  

Why does this matter and should I worry that I am negative??

I hope you can help - the internet hasn't really lead anyway.

Love, as always, Nicky xxxxx


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## jeanette (May 3, 2003)

Hi Nicky,

Cytomegalovirus [CMV] is one of the herpes family of viruses which also includes the viruses that cause chicken-pox/shingles, cold sores and glandular fever. It is a very common infection, with over half of adults aged over 35 and three quarters of those over 60 in the West being CMV positive.

'CMV negative' means that you have not been exposed to the virus in the past, therfore you have been unable to produce the antibodies to the virus. 'CMV positive' does not mean that the virus is active or that you are ill.

Most adults have been exposed to it without ever being aware, as most CMV infections don't cause any symptoms. Some people get an illness a bit like glandular fever, with a sore throat and swollen neck glands that settles after a few days.

CMV may cause problems in new-born babies, hence the clinic wanting to ensure that the donor is also negative. In simple terms the clinic would not want to give you a donors egg if they were cmv positive to prevent you getting CMV from their egg.

Being negative just means that the clinic will take great care to ensure that you are given eggs from a cmv negative donor. This is about protecting you and your unborn baby. If you develop CMV before or during pregnancy (which you probably wouldnt even be aware off) your body will produce antibodies which will also pass over the placenta and provide the unborn child with protection from developing problems.

Please try not to worry (I know that easy for me to say)as cmv is very common and if you develop it your body will produce the antibodies to fight it.

I hope this makes sense, if not let me know!

Jeanette


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## Nicky (Apr 23, 2003)

Hi Jeanette - thank you for that very thorough explanation....Nicky xxxxxxxxxx


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