Maternal human parvovirus B19 infection and the risk of fetal death and low birthweight: a case–control study within 35 940 pregnant women

Abstract

Objectives To assess the association between maternal parvovirus B19 infection and fetal death, birthweight and length of gestation.Design Case-control study. Setting Population based.Population Cases were all 281 women with fetal death within a cohort of 35 940 pregnant woxmen in Norway. The control group consisted of a random sample of 957 women with a live born child.Method Information on pregnancy outcome was obtained from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. First trimester serum samples were tested for antibodies against parvovirus B19 (IgM and IgG). In seronegative women, further serum was analysed to detect seroconversion during pregnancy.Main outcome measures Fetal death, length of gestation and birthweight.Results Two of 281 (0.7%) of the women who experienced fetal death and nine of 957 (0.9%) of the controls had presence of IgM antibodies, crude odds ratio 0.8; 95% CI (0.2-3.5). In initially, seronegative women, 3.1% (2/65) with fetal death and 2.6% (8/ 307) with a live birth seroconverted, crude odds ratio 1.2; 95% CI (0.2-5.7). Presence of maternal parvovirus-specific IgG or IgM antibodies in the first trimester, or seroconversion during pregnancy were not associated with lower birthweight or reduced length of gestation in live born children, but was associated with low birthweight in stillborn offspring.Conclusion Maternal parvovirus B19 infection was not associated with fetal death in our study. Very few cases of fetal death may be attributed to maternal parvovirus B19 infection.

Risk of fetal hydrops and non-hydropic late intrauterine fetal death after gestational parvovirus B19 infection

“…We can not exclude that gestational B19 infection causes non-hydropic late IUFD, but it is not a common B19-derived fetal complication according to our observations and those of others. 9,15,35 Our study results confirm the generally low risk for adverse pregnancy outcome following gestational B19 infection. [7][8][9] Nevertheless, we also found that maternal B19 infection between 9 and 20 WG is associated with a significant risk for developing fetal anemia and hydrops.…”

Parvovirus B19 Achievements and Challenges

“…Most studies have been performed by retrospective collection of data, while only a few have been based on prospective evaluation of population cohorts. Large population-based studies to determine the burden of prenatal infections have been carried out in a few settings [302][303][304][305]. In these cases, the incidence of reported cases of B19V infection has usually been exceedingly low.…”

Seroprevalence of Parvovirus B19 Antibodies in Young Women, Sanandaj, Iran

“…IgM antibodies were detected in 10.3% of cases and 6.5% in control, no significant difference were seen between two groups (11). In other study maternal parvovirus B19 infection was not associated with fetal death in a case-control study within pregnant women in Norway (12). Although, we did not conduct a case-control study; however no association was observed between antibodies and history of abortion.…”