Media Invitation - Setup of North America's first Mother and Child Infectious Diseases Centre at CHU Sainte-Justine

MONTREAL, Sept. 19, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - The battle against infections transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or immediately after birth ? HIV, hepatitis B and C, cytomegalovirus (CMV), rubella, syphilis, Zika ? is far from won. In fact, the situation could even retrogress owing to the emergence of new infections and the resurgence of pathologies previously thought to be under control.

To tackle more effectively the complex challenges posed by materno-foetal diseases, CHU Sainte-Justine is setting up the Mother and Child Infectious Diseases Centre. The only one of its kind in North America, the centre groups together in a single location all Sainte-Justine experts involved in treating mothers and children afflicted with congenital infections. The object is to provide enhanced quality and consistency of care and services for women seeking to become pregnant, newborns, young children and adolescents.

Details surrounding the setup of the centre will be unveiled at an event scheduled to be held on Wednesday, September 26^th 2018 at 17:00 in the Atrium at CHU Sainte-Justine. This event will conclude the proceedings of the 1^st Québec Symposium on Cytomegalovirus (CMV), the most frequent of viral infections affecting newborns and one which can lead to serious consequences. 

In the presence of:

Isabelle Demers, interim Chief Executive of CHU Sainte-Justine

Rob Tetrault, Director of the Canadian CMV Foundation    

Maud Cohen, Chief Executive of the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation

and the co-directors of the new Mother and Child Infectious Diseases Centre:
Dr. Isabelle Boucoiran, obstetric gynaecologist and infectious diseases specialist 
Dr. Fatima Kakkar, infectious disease paediatrician 

During this event, a patient will recount her personal experience. Two other women having received care from the onset of pregnancy will also be on hand for interviews. 

SOURCE Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center