Jo. Odland et al., Seropositivity of cytomegalovirus, parvovirus and rubella in pregnant women and recurrent aborters in Leningrad County, Russia, ACT OBST SC, 80(11), 2001, pp. 1025-1029
Background. The objectives of this paper were. to assess the prevalence of
different viral infections in relation to late abortions, stillbirths, and
congenital malformations in sera from Russian pregnant women and recurrent
aborters in order to establish basic knowledge for future pregnancy care.
Methods. Patients were recruited at the Women's Clinic, Leningrad Regional
Hospital during the period March-June 1995. One group of normally pregnant
women (Group 1; n=182) and one group of recurrent aborters (Group 2; n=127)
were evaluated, including demographic, medical, clinical, and serological
data.
Results and conclusions. The mean age of the two groups was 27.1 and 28.2 y
ears, respectively. The mean number of deliveries was low (0.4 and 0.5, res
pectively). Thirty-one point six percent of Group 1 and 41.9% of Group 2 we
re daily smokers. The group of normally pregnant women had a significantly
increased frequency of induced abortions compared to the recurrent aborters
, while the recurrent aborters reported more genital infections. There was
little difference in total antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) (78.0% and 8
1.1%, respectively) or B19 IgG (75.3% and 66.9%, respectively) between the
groups, while the normal pregnant women had a significantly higher prevalen
ce of rubella antibodies (77.5% and 59.8%, respectively). Our results indic
ate that less women remain susceptible to primary CMV infection in pregnanc
y in Russia compared to western Europe and North America. The prevalence of
B19 IgG was slightly lower than data from Sweden. Natural immunization aga
inst rubella virus was lower than in other, unvaccinated female populations
. Vaccination strategies for rubella are now initiated in the Russian Feder
ation. Results from this study are utilized in a federally supported, compr
ehensive pregnancy care project of North-West Russia.