The Impact of the Zika Virus

What is the Zika virus?
Zika is not new to medicine, but in terms of this epidemic, that part is new.  There is still a lot we don’t know about how it affects pregnancies.  What we do know is that it can have severe effects, especially in brain development with something called microcephaly, which can be deadly for infants. That’s why it’s really important for pregnant patients to be aware of the Zika virus.

How does it affect women?
If you are not pregnant or considering becoming pregnant, but you live in an area where the virus is active, you would want to avoid pregnancy at this time.  If you are pregnant, you want to do what you can to avoid Zika virus transmission, which occurs through mosquito bites. To do that, use a mosquito repellent with DEET and educate yourself about areas where the virus is active.  Right now, in southern US, the only area we are looking at is a few neighborhoods in Miami.  That being said, if you are traveling to the Caribbean or South America, those are things you want to be aware of.  If you are pregnant, right now the CDC recommends not traveling to active Zika virus areas.

Since there is news of mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus in Florida, how do I protect myself?
You want to avoid those areas if you can. If you are not yet pregnant and you live in one of the active areas, you might want to avoid pregnancy right now until the outbreak is over. If you are in this local area and not traveling very much, the likelihood of you contracting the Zika virus is unlikely.  However, if your partner is traveling to the southern U.S. or the Caribbean, the other thing you have to be aware of is the potential for sexual transmission of the Zika virus.  Make sure your partner is aware and that they are protecting themselves by using a mosquito repellant. If you think you’ve been exposed to the Zika virus, make sure you’re tested with your doctor.

Is there a vaccine?
At this time, there’s not a vaccine.  There are many trials going on and they are trying to create a vaccine. The reality of vaccinations is that it takes a long time to develop an effective vaccination and have it tested. They’re certainly not going to release it to the public until that’s done.  I don’t see a vaccine happening for the next few months while this outbreak is going on.

What are symptoms and treatments for Zika?
Most people with the Zika virus don’t show symptoms, but if you do have symptoms, they tend to be mild.  You might have fever, rash, joint pain…some of the same symptoms you would have if you have the flu. In fact, most people end up not going to the hospital or the doctor because the symptoms tend to be mild.

If I want to have children, how does the Zika Virus impact that decision?
For moms living in the local area and considering having children, certainly if you aren’t traveling to the southern U.S or Caribbean or South America or other areas affected by the Zika virus, then it’s not going to impact that decision significantly.  For people traveling to those areas, they would want to make sure they are tested long before they try to conceive and ensure that they are using some type of birth control until they find out that information. If you have been infected with Zika, you would want to delay pregnancy until you’ve eliminated the virus from your body.