Zika Virus And Microcephaly Prevention: CDC Guidelines For Delaying Pregnancy Due To Disease Exposure

The rise of microcephaly cases in babies has dramatically increased ever since the Zika outbreak began. Many of the women who gave birth to babies with microcephaly in recent months have been exposed to the Zika virus. Health experts believe that there is a strong link between Zika virus and microcephaly, although there is no definitive proof as of this time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided some guidelines on delaying pregnancy after being exposed to Zika virus, The New York Times reports. Observing these recommended waiting periods for different types of Zika exposure before trying to conceive is important.

This is in order to prevent the development of microcephaly in babies, as well as Guillain-Barré syndrome. This syndrome is a disorder in which a person's nervous system is being attacked by its own immune system, potentially causing paralysis or death, according to Mayo Clinic.

"We're learning more every day, and evidence of a link between Zika and a spectrum of birth outcomes is becoming stronger and stronger," co-leader of CDC's pregnancy and birth defects team, Dr. Denise J. Jamieson, told The New York Times. "For people who either have the Zika disease or who travel to an area with active Zika transmission, we are now recommending they wait a period of time before trying to get pregnant."

The CDC recommends people who have gone to areas affected by Zika virus, but showed no signs of the disease to wait for eight weeks before practicing unprotected sex. For women who showed symptoms of the Zika disease and has tested positive for the virus, the CDC recommends a waiting period of at least eight weeks before getting pregnant.

For men who showed symptoms of the Zika disease and has tested positive for the virus, they should wait at least six months before having unprotected sex. Males have a longer waiting period than females because the virus survives longer in a man's semen.

To prevent further cases of Zika virus and microcephaly development, some Latin American countries such as Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia have recommended couples to delay pregnancy for an indefinite period of time. Learn more about the Zika virus in the video below: