The Mysteries of the Zika Virus & Pregnancy Complications

Since the Zika Virus has hit the world news circuit at the beginning of the year, it has also hit the radar of major world organizations. Nations like the United States & Brazil are working on legislation to fund Zika Virus research. The European Union has already allocated $11 million to prove the link between Zika and brain defects in newborns. Corporations like Google are donating large sums to organizations dedicated to learning about Zika virus and all of its side effects.

The world is working hard to discover everything we can about Zika to the benefit of public safety. With so much research in process, new developments are being published almost daily. The side effects have yet to be proven. Nonetheless, we want to keep you up-to-date on the latest information.

Zika & Birth Defects

Initially, Zika hit the radar of the world due to a link between Zika during pregnancy and the birth defect, microcephaly, in newborns in Brazil. In an attempt to learn more about this relationship a new study published by The New England Journal of Medicine has discovered links to other severe birth defects. The study was conducted with pregnant women in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Among the pregnant Zika patients who agreed to ultrasonic testing, 29% received abnormal results. All of the Zika-negative patients from the group showed normal ultrasounds. Some of the birth defects discovered include:

• Cerebral calcification
• Microcephaly
• Macular hypoplasia
• Intrauterine growth restrictions
• Abnormal arterial flow in the cerebral arteries
• Abnormal arterial flow in the umbilical arteries
• Insufficient or absent amniotic fluid
• Central nervous system alterations

More studies need to be conducted to ensure Zika is the root cause of these birth defects, but so far the link is strong. Two of the Zika pregnancies ended in stillbirths after 30 weeks of gestation. With the threat of infant death and 29% abnormalities in this study, it is clear that more research and fast is a necessity.

Until we know for sure, prevention is the best way to protect your family from Zika Virus. Be sure to follow the CDC’s travel guide for pregnant women and follow the 5 T’s of mosquito control for your North Shore Mass area yard. To avoid mosquitoes & mosquito bites call us at (978) 381-4028 to learn how we can eliminate 85-90% of the mosquitoes on your property.