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from the xytex blog
Discussions with Your Physician
 Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that infects approximately 70% of persons in the United States by the age of 45 and more than 90% by the age of 80. In most cases, initial infection results in no symptoms, though some experience a flu-like or mononucleosis-like illness. After the initial infection the virus remains dormant (latent) in the body. Reactivation of infection typically occurs in persons with compromised immune systems.
If a woman becomes infected with CMV during pregnancy there is a 40% risk of fetal infection. In contrast, the risk of fetal infection is only 1% in women with latent CMV infection. Fetal infection with CMV can result in miscarriage and a variety of serious developmental defects.
Because of these concerns, Xytex screens all donors for CMV infection. CMV status is based on testing blood for antibodies against the virus. CMV-negative donors have no antibodies. CMV-positive donors have antibodies against the virus but the pattern of antibodies determines whether infection is latent (inactive) or active. Xytex excludes donors who have active CMV infection. Semen from donors with latent (inactive) infection is considered to be safe.
While it might seem reasonable to accept only CMV-negative donors such a restriction would reduce the donor pool by more than half, leaving women with very few choices in their selection of anonymous semen donors. Xytex encourages women to discuss the issues surrounding CMV with their physicians.
Dr. Todd Spradlin
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