Zika birth defects likely going underreported according to : WTOP

WASHINGTON — The Zika virus causes birth defects in about one in 10 pregnancies of women who are infected, but it's likely the numbers are higher, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some fetuses infected with Zika have an obvious defect: microcephaly (an abnormally small head due to the destruction of brain tissue). Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others. "What we're hoping for is that when we get a vaccine that's effective that we'll avoid all of this," Faucci said. Last year, pregnant women in 44 U.S. states showed evidence of Zika.




These estimates are higher than what U.S. health officials have previously reported and underscore the serious risk for birth defects posed by Zika virus infection during pregnancy. The link between Zika and birth defects was first noticed because the infection can cause microcephaly, or an abnormally small head. Despite the differences in methodology and case definition, the CDC findings are consistent with reports from other countries about Zika-related birth defects, Honein said. (Whitney Leaming,Julio Negron/The Washington Post)Previous studies of Zika-associated birth defects were based on data from a small number of completed pregnancies. Of those, 24 pregnancies — about 10 percent — resulted in a fetus or baby with birth defects.

Expectant mother with Zika virus expected to give birth in Corpu - KRISTV.com

Dr. Burgin said, "Now that 'micro' meaning small, 'cephaly' meaning head so they have small heads, small brains and consequently have complications with learning and speech." Dr. Burgin says most likely the expectant mother didn't know she had the Zika virus when she got pregnant but through testing, doctors believe her child will suffer from Microcephaly. A woman infected with the Zika virus is being treated at a Corpus Christi hospital and local health officials say there is no cause for concern for the general public. According to doctors, the woman who is pregnant contracted the virus while she may have been traveling through Mexico. That woman was not infected with Zika here in the Coastal Bend.


collected by :Lucy William
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