Nine U.S. Pregnant Women Have Acquired Zika Virus

February 29th, 2016

By Gary Evans, Senior Staff Writer

Nine U.S. pregnant women have acquired Zika virus traveling to areas where transmission is ongoing, underscoring the message that expectant mothers should strongly reconsider any travel plans to areas where spread is occurring.

The CDC recently reported that as of Feb. 17, 2016, nine U.S. pregnant travelers with Zika virus infection had been identified. No Zika virus–related hospitalizations or deaths were reported among the women.

However, pregnancy outcomes included two early miscarriages and two elective terminations. Of the three live births, two babies are apparently healthy but one infant has severe microcephaly, a birth defect linked to Zika that causes stunted development of the head. Two other pregnancies continue without known complications.

In addition to this group of cases, the CDC is investigating 10 other women who acquired Zika during pregnancy. Additional information will be available in the future from a newly established CDC registry for U.S. pregnant women with confirmed Zika virus infection and their infants.

AHC Media is dedicated to covering developments in this ongoing story. In addition to breaking news on our homepage, the cover story of April ED Management outlines what hospitals need to do to prepare for a potential outbreak. The March issue of Hospital Infection Control & Prevention contains a trio of stories examining the latest Zika developments, including combating the spread of the virus via sexual transmission. Additionally, the March issue of Hospital Employee Health contains a story about protecting pregnant healthcare workers from contracting the virus.