CMV Action

Who we are

CMV, or Cytomegalovirus, is a common virus that can infect people of all ages.  Most healthy adults and children will have no signs or symptoms and no long-term effects from CMV.  It can, however, be very dangerous to unborn babies and congenital CMV (cCMV), that is, if CMV is transferred from mother to unborn baby during pregnancy, is one of the main causes of children being born with permanent disabilities.

As many as 1 in 200 newborn babies are born with cCMV.  The majority of these will not have any symptoms.  However, around 1 in 1,000 born in the UK every year will have permanent disabilities as a result of CMV – around 900 children every year.  As CMV is a relatively unknown condition, it is a common misconception that it is rare.  It is in fact more common than Down’s syndrome, Toxoplasmosis, Spina Bifida or Cystic Fibrosis.

CMV Action is a UK organisation of parents and volunteers who have come together to raise awareness of cCMV and to campaign for better prevention measures and standards of care within our health service.  We offer advice, support and friendship to anyone affected by cCMV and aim to educate professionals caring for pregnant women, and women of child bearing age about reducing the risks of cCMV.

Our mission is to: protect babies, empower families.