Zika Infection In Pregnant Women Poses Greater Risk To Newborns Than Previously Thought, U.S. Data Show

New York Times: One in 10 Pregnant Women With Zika in U.S. Have Babies With Birth Defects
“One in 10 pregnant women in the continental United States with a confirmed Zika infection had a baby with brain damage or other serious birth defects, according to the most comprehensive report to date on American pregnancies during the Zika crisis. The report, published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also provided more evidence that the risk of birth defects was greater when women were infected in the first trimester of pregnancy. Fifteen percent of women with confirmed Zika infection in the first trimester had babies with birth defects, the report found…” (Belluck, 4/4).

Washington Post: Zika poses even greater risk for birth defects than was previously known, CDC reports
“…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. With warm weather, a new mosquito season and summer travel approaching, prevention is crucial to protecting the health of mothers and babies, said Anne Schuchat, the CDC’s acting director. It may seem like Zika is last year’s problem, she said, but that is not true, and pregnant women, their male partners, and clinicians can’t be complacent…” (Sun, 4/4).

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