The Controversy Surrounding Newborn Screening for CMV Infection
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common viral infection that can cause devastating long-term health problems in infants, including hearing loss, cerebral palsy, seizures, vision impairment, and neurodevelopmental delays. Despite affecting 20,000 babies born each year in the U.S., there is little public awareness about CMV compared to other prenatal infections. However, state public health committees and legislatures are beginning to debate whether to mandate more robust screening for CMV, with Minnesota becoming the first state to screen all newborns for congenital CMV. The debate around screening alone is a sign that the medicine is doing better.