Could a common antiviral protect babies from CMV in the womb?

NCT ID NCT01651585

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether giving the antiviral drug valacyclovir to pregnant women with a CMV-infected fetus could reduce the chance of the baby being born with serious symptoms. 41 pregnant women took high doses of valacyclovir daily for up to 23 weeks. The goal was to see if the drug could lower the virus level in the baby and improve outcomes at birth.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: valacyclovir
What this could lead to: If successful, this could point toward a way to reduce the severity of congenital CMV infection in newborns.
What could go wrong: This was a small, non-randomized trial with 41 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The drug may not prevent all complications.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cytomegalovirus infection fetal cytomegalovirus syndrome infectious embryofetopathy viral infectious disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) INFECTION FOETUSES INFECTION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Hospital Necker Enfants Malades

Paris, 75015, France

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