Table 3 CMV messages tested during Phase 3, by communication concept
Communication Concept 1: CMV preventive strategies are similar to other behavior changes women make during pregnancy.  1. Women make lots of changes while they are pregnant, like not eating certain types of fish, not drinking alcohol and caffeine and not smoking. Adding a few more changes into your routine can help keep your unborn baby safe from CMV. These changes might include washing your hands often and trying to avoid getting a young child’s urine and saliva in your eyes, nose, or mouth. Keep in mind, these are changes you only need to make during pregnancy. | Communication Concept 2: Preventive strategies can be incorporated in moderation to reduce exposure. 2. Congenital CMV is one of the most common causes of birth defects, but there are ways you can reduce the risk to your unborn baby. Although it may be hard to avoid all possible exposures to CMV, by making a few recommended changes while you are pregnant, you can help protect your unborn baby from infection. These include:   • Avoid putting things in your mouth that have just been in a child’s mouth. When possible, try not to share food, cups, or silverware with your child or put their pacifier in your mouth.   • Avoid getting saliva in your mouth when kissing a child. You can do this by trying to give more kisses on the cheek or forehead instead of the lips.   • Clean your hands after touching a child’s urine or saliva. For example, try to make a habit of cleaning your hands after changing a diaper, feeding a child, or wiping a child’s nose or mouth. | Communication Concept 3: CMV is severe but preventable. 3. My son Mark was born with congenital CMV. By nine months old he still could not crawl and did not respond to his name. I had his hearing checked and found out that he was deaf in both ears. As he grew older, Mark also had some trouble walking. I learned from his doctors that these issues were caused because I was exposed to CMV while I was pregnant with him. I wish I had known about the simple things I could have done to keep Mark from getting this virus. All moms should know that there are things they can do to protect their unborn babies from being exposed to congenital CMV. You can prevent CMV infection when you are pregnant by:   • Not putting things in your mouth that have just been in a child’s mouth. For example:    • Food    • Cups or silverware    • Toothbrush    • Pacifier    • Avoid getting saliva in your mouth when kissing a child. You can do this by kissing on the cheek or forehead instead of the lips.    • Washing your hands after touching a child’s urine or saliva. For example, after:     • Changing diapers     • Feeding a child     • Wiping a child’s nose or mouth. |