Pattern of parvovirus B 19 infection during different trimesters of pregnancy in Kuwait.

OBJECTIVE Aims of this study were to determine the IgG and IgM seropositivity to parvovirus B19 during the three trimesters of pregnancy. METHODS Initially, a total of 1,047 pregnant women were included in a prospective study. Blood samples were obtained from 343, 406 and 298 cases in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. To study the incidence of seroconversion, a second sample of blood was obtained 2-4 weeks later from the first 100 cases, who were IgG and IgM negative in the first trimester. RESULTS The seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 IgG and IgM was 53.3% and 2.2%, respectively. The incidence of seroconversion was 16.5%. The rate of fetal loss was 15.4% in patients with acute infection, all of which occurred in the first two trimesters. CONCLUSIONS The percentage of IgG positive cases is significantly higher in first and second trimesters compared to the third trimester. The seroconversion rate was 16.5%.