Zika Virus: CDC Expands Travel Alert for Pregnant Women

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added two more destinations — the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic — to the list of places that pregnant women may want to avoid due to potential infection with the Zika virus.

Since last May, 23 countries and territories in the Americas have reported cases of mosquito-borne Zika, which is linked to a brain disorder called microcephaly. Babies with the condition have abnormally small heads, resulting in developmental issues and, in some cases, death.

Already, the CDC had advised pregnant women to avoid trips to Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Martin, Suriname, Samoa, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. The agency also recommended screening for women who have recently traveled to these places while pregnant.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — the largest organization representing obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States — said last week that it supports the guidelines aimed at shielding pregnant women from the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

According to a statement, ACOG is urging pregnant women and those planning a pregnancy to follow Zika virus travel and health guidelines recently issued by the CDC.

“Travel to regions with ongoing Zika virus outbreaks is not recommended for women who are pregnant or women who are considering pregnancy,” ACOG President Dr. Mark DeFrancesco said in the statement.

The doctors at Reproductive Partners urge all women who are pregnant or who are actively trying to conceive heed these warnings and be alert for additional recommendations from the CDC.