OBJECTIVE: To investigate the perinatal infection of human rotavirus (HRV) in pregnant women and the effect on their neonates. METHODS: HRV was examined by RT-PCR in cervical secretion and feces of 250 pregnant women and fecal samples of their neonates on the third postpartum day. RESULTS: In pregnant women the HRV prevalence was 26.0% in feces and 8.8% in cervical secration, respectively. The infection rate of the 250 neonates in the first three days after birth was 4.4%, 15.6% and 22.0%, respectively. The HRV infection rate in neonates of infected mothers was 52.31%. CONCLUSION: The infected mothers may be an important source for HRV infection of neonates. HRV transmitted via the labor tract and intrahospital transmission were the main sources for the neonatal infection.