Basic document: Information on the relevance of infectious agents in Germany from a maternity protection perspective

The basic document entitled "Information on the relevance of infectious agents in Germany from the perspective of maternity protection" was prepared for the Committee for Maternity Protection (AfMu) with the participation of members of the joint commission "Virus infection in pregnancy" of the GfV and DVV and published on its homepage. The Society of Virology would like to take this opportunity to thank the following authors:

• Dr. Caroline Bernhard-Klimt, State Office for Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Department of Occupational, Social and Medical Health and Safety, Saarland, Saarbrücken
• Dr. med. Adelheid Burkart-Reichl, former company medical service, Barmherzige Brüder Hospital, Regensburg
• Dr. vet. med. Anja Buschulte, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department of Biological Safety, Berlin
• Dr. med. Sabine Ewerbeck, Company Medical Service, Heidelberg University Hospital
• Prof. Dr. med. Uwe Groß, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Virology, University of Göttingen
• Dr. med. Daniela Huzly, Institute of Virology, Freiburg University Medical Center
• Dr. rer. nat. Gisela Martens, Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie, Heidelberg
• Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Susanne Modrow, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg
• Dr. med. Stephanie Padberg, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität, Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmacovigilance and Advisory Center for Embryonal Toxicology, Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Dr. med. Johanna Stranzinger, Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege, Hamburg
• Dr. (Yu) Marija Tot, State Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf
• Dr. rer. nat. Sabine Werner, Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DGUV, Heidelberg

The published background paper deals with the assessment of infections and infectious agents relevant to pregnancy. It discusses the frequency of infections with pregnancy-relevant biological agents in Germany as well as the assessment of infection risks depending on the stage of pregnancy and the handling of pregnancy-relevant biological agents in the workplace. This document was written by the above-mentioned authors to support the AfMu in developing practical rules for employers that ensure the implementation of maternity protection in accordance with the latest scientific findings. You can find the publication under the following link: https://www.ausschuss-fuer-mutterschutz.de/arbeitsergebnisse/grundlagendokumente