Parvovirus B19 infections in pregnancy.

Since 1986, 2,279 pregnant women were screened for anti Parvovirus B19 IgG and IgM antibodies. Of them 41% were seronegative, 54% had specific IgG but no IgM antibodies, indicating an infection in earlier life. Acute infection could be demonstrated by IgM antibody detection in 114 pregnant women (32% in the first, 54% in the second and 14% in the third trimester). Hydrops fetalis occurred in 10 of the 114 pregnancies (8.7%). In five of these cases intrauterine exchange transfusion was done and until now four healthy babies were born. Three fetuses died and one pregnancy was terminated, and two pregnancies are not yet completed. Fetal loss occurred in 9 of the 114 pregnancies (7.8%) (three fetal deaths after hydrops fetalis in the second trimenon and six spontaneous abortions in the first trimenon). In 51 of the 70 pregnancies which came thus far to term clinical data were available from the newborns. All these children were healthy at birth and later. In 22 of the 51 newborns, serological investigation was possible. In only two of them evidence of prenatal infection was detectable.