ArticlePrenatal diagnosis2025
Single-Step Universal First-Trimester Cytomegalovirus Screening and Valacyclovir Prophylaxis in Pregnancy: A Cost-Utility Analysis in a High Seroprevalence Setting.
Article in Prenatal diagnosis, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Cytomegalovirus in Pregnancy: Effects on the Developing Embryo and Fetus, Diagnosis and Treatment: Where to Go Now? A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Single-Step Universal First-Trimester Cytomegalovirus Screening and Valacyclovir Prophylaxis in Pregnancy: A Cost-Utility Analysis in a High Seroprevalence Setting.Prenatal diagnosis · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo evaluate the cost-effectiveness of first trimester single-step universal cytomegalovirus (CMV) serological screening with valacyclovir as vertical transmission prophylaxis versus routine ultrasound-directed testing.
methodsA payer perspective cost-utility analysis was conducted on a hypothetical population of 100,000 pregnant women for a time horizon of 9 month of full-term pregnancy and the lifetime of children. Using a decision-tree and Markov model, we assessed quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained by preventing congenital CMV (cCMV) sequelae against the costs of universal screening and valacyclovir prophylaxis.
resultsThe ICER for universal screening strategy was USD125,864 (SGD170,087)/QALY-gained compared to routine ultrasound-directed testing. It prevented approximately 54 cCMV infections, 18 cases of symptomatic infections, and 17 cases of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and cognitive impairment by age of 5 per 100,000 mothers screened. The primary factors influencing cost-effectiveness include the effectiveness of VCV in preventing vertical CMV transmission, the prevalence of primary CMV infection during pregnancy, the probability of symptomatic congenital CMV following periconceptional infection, and the cost of serological testing.
conclusionsAlthough the ICER of universal CMV screening appears high in absolute terms, it compares favorably with ICER of commonly offered antenatal screening methods such as first trimester non-invasive prenatal testing for women at intermediate risk of Trisomy 21. Universal screening has the potential for averting childhood morbidity at birth and by 5-years-old. Important variables influencing the ICER include the effectiveness of valacyclovir in preventing vertical transmission, prevalence of primary CMV infection, probability of symptomatic cCMV after periconception primary infection and cost of serology tests.
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