The story of Avery Saari - A young girl with congenital CMV

About CMV

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a widely common virus with 50% and 85% of adults already exposed by adulthood. However, women who have not yet been exposed are at the greatest risk for contracting CMV during pregnancy and giving birth to a child born with congenital CMV.

Congenital CMV is one of the leading causes of cerebral palsy, the leading cause of non-hereditary deafness, and the second leading cause of mental retardation behind Down Syndrome.

CMV is a member of the herpesvirus family, which includes the herpes simplex viruses and the viruses that cause chicken pox (varicella-zoster virus) and infectious mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus). It is found in body fluids, including urine, saliva (spit), breast milk, blood, tears, semen, and vaginal fluids.

CMV is the most common virus transmitted to a pregnant woman's unborn child

More than half of the OB/GYNs surveyed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 2007 admitted they do not routinely caution patients about CMV.
Every hour, congenital CMV causes one child to become disabled.
Each year, about 30,000 children are born with congenital CMV infection.
About 1 in 750 children is born with or develops permanent disabilities due to CMV.
About 8,000 children each year suffer permanent disabilities caused by CMV.
The direct costs of caring for CMV-disabled children are estimated at $1-$2 billion annually.