Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Utah has become the first state to launch an education and screening campaign for CMV


See the following article by Mark Green, mark.green@fox13now.com :

http://fox13now.com/2013/07/07/utah-takes-action-against-virus-that-harms-unborn-children/
"Legislation was passed in Utah, and now The Utah Department of Health is required to educate women about the dangers of CMV in pregnancy as well as ways to prevent it."

Here is the Utah's Department of Health link that provides the following resources and info:

http://www.health.utah.gov/cshcn/CHSS/CMV.html


Children's Hearing and Speech Services

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Public Health Initiative
H.B. 81 (2013 General Session) UCA 26-10-10, whose Chief Sponsor was Representative Ronda Rudd Menlove, will go into effect on July 1, 2013. This law (Cytomegalovirus Public Education and Testing) directs the Utah Department of Health to create a public education program to inform pregnant women and women who may become pregnant about the occurrence of CMV, the transmission of CMV, the birth defects that CMV can cause, methods of diagnosis, and available preventative measures. This law also directs medical practitioners to test infants, who fail two newborn hearing screening tests, for congenital CMV and inform the parents of those infants about the possible birth defects that CMV can cause and the available treatment methods.
CMV infection during pregnancy can harm your baby. Cytomegalovirus (sy toe MEG a low vy rus), or CMV, is a common virus that infects people of all ages. Most CMV infections are "silent", meaning the majority of people who are infected with CMV have no signs or symptoms, and there are no harmful effects. However, when CMV oDaisy4.jpegccurs during a woman’s pregnancy, the baby can become infected before birth.  CMV infection before birth is known as “congenital CMV”.  When this happens, the virus gets transmitted to the unborn infant and can potentially damage the brain, eyes and/or inner ears.
About 1 of every 5 children born with congenital CMV infection will develop permanent problems, such as hearing loss or developmental disabilities.
Congenital CMV is the leading non-genetic cause of childhood hearing loss.
CMV Core Facts
Congenital CMV and Hearing Loss
CMV What Women NEED TO KNOW
CMV What Childcare Providers NEED TO KNOW
CMV Utah Flyer
For Health Care and Newborn Hearing Screening Providers:
For more information, contact the Utah Department of Health Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program at (801) 584-8215 or smcvicar@utah.gov.
Page last updated 07/03/2013 14:57:02


HERE is what the bill looks like when I click into the link above:
http://le.utah.gov/code/TITLE26/htm/26_10_001000.htm

Utah Health Code
Family Health Services
Section 10
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) public education and testing.
         
26-10-10.   Cytomegalovirus (CMV) public education and testing.

            (1) As used in this section "CMV" means cytomegalovirus.
            (2) The department shall establish and conduct a public education program to inform pregnant women and women who may become pregnant regarding:
            (a) the incidence of CMV;
            (b) the transmission of CMV to pregnant women and women who may become pregnant;
            (c) birth defects caused by congenital CMV;
            (d) methods of diagnosing congenital CMV; and
            (e) available preventative measures.
            (2) The department shall provide the information described in Subsection (2) to:
            (a) child care programs licensed under Title 26, Chapter 39, Utah Child Care Licensing Act, and their employees;
            (b) a person described in Subsection 26-39-403(1) (c), (f), (g), (h), (j), or (k);
            (c) a person serving as a school nurse under Subsection 53A-11-204;
            (d) a person offering health education in a school district;
            (e) health care providers offering care to pregnant women and infants; and
            (f) religious, ecclesiastical, or denominational organizations offering children's programs as a part of worship services.
            (3) If a newborn infant fails the newborn hearing screening test(s) under Subsection 26-10-6(1), a medical practitioner shall:
            (a) test the newborn infant for CMV before the newborn is 21 days of age, unless a parent of the newborn infant objects; and
            (b) provide to the parents of the newborn infant information regarding:
            (i) birth defects caused by congenital CMV; and
            (ii) available methods of treatment.
            (4) The department shall provide to the family and the medical practitioner, if known, information regarding the testing requirements under Subsection (3) when providing results indicating that an infant has failed the newborn hearing screening test(s) under Subsection 26-10-6(1).
            (5) The department may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, as necessary to administer the provisions of this section.

Enacted by Chapter 45, 2013 General Session

Note from Lisa Saunders

To anyone who will listen:
 I am a mother who lost her daughter due to complications from congenital CMV (she died during a seizure at the age of 16 in 2006). I am the parent representative of the Congenital CMV Foundation and author of the memoir, "Anything But a Dog! The perfect pet for a girl with congenital CMV." I want to thank anyone who publishes life-saving information about protecting babies from congenital CMV. My daughter Elizabeth was born severely disabled from congenital CMV because no one told me I shouldn't kiss my own toddler around the mouth (toddlers are the majority of the carriers of CMV) or that I was putting my pregnancy at risk by operating a daycare center in my home for toddlers. If interested, here is my congenital CMV blog: http://congenitalcmv.blogspot.com/

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