Association of CMV, HSV-2, and HPV infections with spontaneous abortion

Spontaneous abortion (SA) is a common pregnancy complication, and viral infections have been proposed as potential risk factors. This study investigated the prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in women with SA compared to healthy pregnancies. A case–control study was conducted including 50 women with SA and 50 pregnant women without complications. Maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, placental tissue, and cervical swabs were analyzed for viral DNA using polymerase chain reaction with virus-specific primers. β-actin served as an internal control. Demographic and clinical data were also compared. The mean age did not differ significantly between groups (30.02 ± 4.73 vs. 29.42 ± 4.54 years, p=0.52). Compared with controls, women with SA had significantly higher symptoms of infection during pregnancy (42% vs. 16%, p