I was born in 1962 and my mom has been dead for ten years. I have never heard anything about my mom being ill with a virus while she was pg with me, but she did have cardiac issues due to having had rheumatic fever when she was a child.

I have heard stories form my sisters that my mother was mentally unstable during her pg with me, and I don't doubt that a bit.

Also, I'm sure my mom drank caffeine (quite a bit) back then. Coffee, Coke.