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Should CMV safe blood components be provided for transfusion to post-partum women?

A colleague in the northern area of the US reports that a hospital in her community routinely transfuses CMV safe (CMV seronegative or leukocyte-reduced) blood components to post-partum women in order to prevent CMV transmission to the infant during breast-feeding. This practice is not universal in her area, because the hospital where she works does not employ such a practice. In addition, there is a fairly high rate of CMV seropositivity in their community. She would like to know what other hospitals' practices are in regard to using CMV safe blood and components for post-partum women. At institutions where this practice is being followed, is it applied for all post-partum women or only for those who are CMV seronegative?

Please submit comments to the e-Network Forum.

Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator
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Posted: April 7, 2005

Addenda:

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