(March 18, 2009 - Insidermedicine) Vaccinating mothers against CMV or cytomegalovirus can reduce the risk that they and their babies  will be infected, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here is some information about cytomegalovirus:

•    It is a common virus that infects most people at some point.

•    In rare cases, when a baby contracts CMV, it can lead to serious illness that can cause hearing, cognitive, and motor impairments.

•    If a pregnant woman becomes infected with CMV and passes the virus on to her fetus through the blood stream, the baby has a one in 5 chance of having a disability.

Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham assigned over 450 women to receive the CMV vaccine or a placebo. They received the treatment within 1 year of giving birth, and they were tested regularly.

The study ended early because the vaccine was so effective. After a year, 31 women in the placebo group had picked up an infection, compared with 18 in the vaccine group. As well, 3 babies in the placebo group developed an infection, compared with 1 in the vaccine group.

Today’s research shows that a vaccine against CMV may be effective, even though the virus is complex and new strains continue to emerge.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Christina Leung.