Chikungunya Virus Infection during Pregnancy, Réunion, France, 2006

• Main Authors: Xavier Fritel, Olivier Rollot, Patrick Gérardin, Bernard-Alex Gaüzère, Jacques Bideault, Louis Lagarde, Barbara Dhuime, Eric Orvain, Fabrice Cuillier, Duksha Ramful, Sylvain Sampériz, Marie-Christine Jaffar-Bandjee, Alain Michault, Liliane Cotte, Monique Kaminski, Alain Fourmaintraux
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010-03-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Chikungunya virus; pregnancy; mothers; newborns; infectious disease transmission; alphavirus infections
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/16/3/09-1403_article
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059

Mother-to-child transmission of chikungunya virus was reported during the 2005–2006 outbreak on Réunion Island, France. To determine the effects of this virus on pregnancy outcomes, we conducted a study of pregnant women in Réunion in 2006. The study population was composed of 1,400 pregnant women (628 uninfected, 658 infected during pregnancy, 27 infected before pregnancy, and 87 infected on unknown dates). We compared pregnancy outcomes for 655 (628 + 27) women not infected during pregnancy with 658 who were infected during pregnancy. Infection occurred during the first trimester for 15% of the infected women, the second for 59%, and the third for 26%. Only hospital admission during pregnancy differed between infected and uninfected women (40% vs. 29%). Other outcomes (cesarean deliveries, obstetric hemorrhaging, preterm births, stillbirths after 22 weeks, birthweight, congenital malformations, and newborn admissions) were similar. This virus had no observable effect on pregnancy outcomes.