The Zika Virus was first found in South America but later it has traveled to many countries. The WHO has already announced emergency for the same. However, the most shocking part of the Zika Virus is that it can affect a pregnant woman and the fetus badly. As per the reports, Zika Virus can result in birth defects, and that can be dangerous in nature. It is therefore very important for every pregnant woman to know and understand about the Zika Virus.
What is the Zika Virus?
Zika Virus is an insect-borne illness that can be transmitted primarily from Aedes mosquitoes. Zika is the name of a forest in Uganda where monkeys were found to be infected with this virus. It is named after the forest. Why is it dangerous for pregnant women? If you are pregnant, or you are planning to conceive, then, the Zika Virus is possibly the worst name you can hear now. The dangerous impact of the virus can be immense starting from complexities during pregnancy, pregnancy loss, to a baby born with birth defects. The baby born with birth defects is called Microcephaly and has been attributed to the Zika Virus. There are two things that are very important here. The first is, if you are infected, then don’t try to conceive until you are completely cured. The impact of the virus on a non-pregnant person can be controlled and is often very minimal. However, if you are pregnant and unfortunately got infected by the virus, then it is important to be careful about everything you do. The report of pregnancy week by week should be monitored by the doctors. Here are the things that you must know if you are a pregnant woman:
1. Don’t travel there
The first thing that you must realize is that when you are pregnant, you must not travel to the countries that are known for the Zika Virus. Most of the countries that are known for the Zika Virus are in South America. It is always better to be safe than to exposure yourself to an unwanted risk.
2. No unprotected sex
You must be very careful about sex and intercourse when you are pregnant. The CDC has already confirmed that the Zika Virus can be transmitted sexually, and that is a great risk. If you are having sex with anyone who has come from an area where Zika Virus is prevalent, and then uses condoms. The medical experts, in fact, advise to use condoms or any other protected mode of sex during pregnancy, to stop the slightest chances of contracting the Zika Virus.
3. Do not ignore
During the pregnancy, you must monitor your health very carefully. The symptoms of the Zika Virus are generally like a light flu, so a headache, low fever, rashes, muscle pain, and conjunctivitis are often ignored as normal conditions. However, any of these can be a potential symptom of the Zika Virus. It is always advised that the women should go for the regular health checkups even though there is currently no medical formula to assess the risk of the virus during pregnancy.
4. Diagnosis
It is very important to understand the fact that specific diagnosis of the Zika is not present. However, when it comes to the Zika Virus and pregnant women, there are certain things that should be remembered. The very first thing is that if you have visited any high-risk area for the Zika, then you must go through the diagnosis. It is carried out irrespective of the symptoms. The symptoms can be confusing for the diagnosis, and thus ultrasound is mostly carried out on the pregnant women. However, amniocentesis is followed after that if the report of ultrasound is inconclusive.
Conclusion
The government authorities advise certain risk measurements to counter the risks imposed by the Zika Virus. The majority of the measurements are for controlling exposure to mosquitoes. However, keep in mind that it has also been known to transmit through sexual contact as well. Stay vigilant!
