Effectiveness and safety of prenatal valacyclovir for congenital cytomegalovirus infection: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: D'Antonio F. , Marinceu D. , Prasad S. , Khalil A. 
Published: December 2022

Objective

Universal screening for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in pregnancy is not recommended in most countries. One of the major deterrents is the lack of effective prenatal therapy. The role of valacyclovir therapy in reducing the risk of vertical transmission, symptomatic congenital CMV infection and adverse outcome is controversial. The main aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of prenatal valacyclovir therapy in pregnancies with maternal CMV infection.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases and
ClinicalTrials.gov were searched. The inclusion criteria were pregnancy with confirmed maternal CMV infection, treated or untreated with valacyclovir. The primary outcome was the incidence of congenital CMV infection confirmed by a positive CMV polymerase chain reaction result of the amniotic fluid. The secondary outcomes were symptomatic and asymptomatic infection, perinatal death, termination of pregnancy, anomalies detected on follow‐up ultrasound, on fetal magnetic resonance imaging or at birth, severe and mild‐to‐moderate symptoms due to congenital CMV infection, neurological, visual and hearing symptoms, and adverse events related to valacyclovir. Risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) or Risk Of Bias In Non‐randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS‐I) tool, as appropriate. Head‐to‐head meta‐analyses were used to compare the risk of each of the explored outcomes according to whether pregnancies with maternal CMV infection were treated with prenatal valacyclovir therapy.

Results

Eight studies (620 women) were included. Pregnancies treated with valacyclovir had a significantly lower risk of congenital CMV infection compared with those not receiving valacyclovir (three studies; 325 fetuses; pooled odds ratio (OR), 0.37 (95% CI, 0.21–0.64); I2 = 0%; P < 0.001). When stratifying the analysis according to gestational age at maternal infection, the risk of vertical transmission was significantly lower in pregnancies receiving valacyclovir following first‐trimester maternal infection (three studies; 184 fetuses; pooled OR, 0.34 (95% CI, 0.15–0.74); I2 = 20.9%; P = 0.001), while there was no significant difference between the two groups in those acquiring CMV infection in the periconceptional period or in the third trimester of pregnancy. Only one study reported on the risk of vertical transmission in women infected in the second trimester, demonstrating a lower risk of congenital infection in women taking valacyclovir, although this was based on a small number of cases. Pregnancies treated with valacyclovir therapy had an increased likelihood of asymptomatic congenital CMV infection compared with those not receiving valacyclovir (two studies; 132 fetuses; pooled OR, 2.98 (95% CI, 1.18–7.55); I2 = 0%; P = 0.021), while there was no significant difference between the two groups in the risk of perinatal death (P = 0.923), termination of pregnancy (P = 0.089), anomalies detected at follow‐up imaging assessment during pregnancy or at birth (P = 0.934) and symptoms due to CMV infection in the newborn (P = 0.092). The occurrence of all adverse events in pregnant individuals taking valacyclovir was 3.17% (95% CI, 1.24–5.93%) (six studies; 210 women), with 1.71% (95% CI, 0.41–3.39%) experiencing acute renal failure, which resolved after discontinuation of the drug. On GRADE assessment, the quality of evidence showing that valacyclovir reduced the risk of congenital CMV infection and adverse perinatal outcome was very low.

Conclusions

Prenatal valacyclovir administration in pregnancies with maternal CMV infection reduces the risk of congenital CMV infection. Further evidence is needed to elucidate whether valacyclovir can affect the course of infection in the fetus and the risk of symptomatic fetal or neonatal infection. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.