Delay Pregnancy In Zika Virus Areas: WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) has lately suggested women to delay pregnancy who are living in areas where the Zika virus is active. This will help in avoiding having babies with birth defects.

Zika transmission is either occurring or being expected in the Caribbean region and in 46 countries across Latin America. Millions of couples will be affected with advice of WHO.

In the Western Hemisphere over five million babies are born each year. Mosquitoes are found spreading the Zika virus in the region.

Governments of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands and American Samoa have earlier issued similar advice to the couples.

However, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a different approach to the announcements saying government doctors should not intrude on personal decisions of couples.

CDC added the doctors or nurses should discuss the risks from the virus with couple, emphasize ways to prevent the infection and also provide information about safe and effective contraceptive methods.

The birth defects due to Zika virus include abnormally small heads and brain damage in new born. In some of the cases, though rare, paralysis has been caused too.

Currently no vaccine is available to prevent the infants from such defects and also mosquito eradication efforts have failed.

In Brazil alone over 1,500 babies has been born with defects. Similar cases have also been reported in six other countries.