How prevalent is microcephaly among Zika babies?

How prevalent is microcephaly among Zika babies?


The Zika virus is the newest anxiety-inducing danger keeping expectant parents up at night.

Babies born with abnormally small, misshapen heads, a condition known as microcephaly, are the dominant image of this mosquito-borne disease. Though scientists have known about it for decades, the illness has only recently started getting attention due to a sudden jump in prevalence. South America has been hit particularly hard, and there have been reports of travel-related cases in the United States.

A study conducted in French Polynesia shows just how common microcephaly actually is among babies born to women afflicted by Zika virus. The findings, published recently in the journal The Lancet, put the risk in the French Polynesian population at 1 in 100 for women who get infected during the first trimester of pregnancy.

For concerned pregnant women, knowing that not every Zika infection during pregnancy results in microcephaly may be of some comfort.

And while microcephaly can cause brain damage as well as head deformity, there are other medical challenges the disease poses for children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Zika babies can suffer from hearing problems, abnormal growth in childhood and eye defects.

Although the best scenario is to prevent Zika infection, there is no vaccine to protect against the virus. The primary way to guard against Zika infection is to avoid bites from the mosquito that spreads the disease. Simple precautions, such as adequate clothing, insect repellent and screens, may make all the difference for moms and babies.

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