Back when Zika swept the western hemisphere, the travel recommendations for people who were pregnant or planning a pregnancy were clear: avoid any areas that had a risk of Zika infection. It was fairly easy to know where those areas were, as governments and public health organizations around the world worked tirelessly to identify and report cases. World maps showing areas of risk provided clear “yes/no” guidance. Was there any doubt about who shouldn’t travel where? Not really. Not back …
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How I Got the Zika Virus and How You Can Too: Protecting Yourself and Your Family
By Bethany Kotlar, MPH, MotherToBaby Georgia **This information was current as of the time the blog was published. However, information is constantly changing. Please visit Zika Central for the latest information.** As a teratology information specialist, I counsel women and their families on medications, chemicals, herbal remedies, and illnesses that could harm developing babies. So as the Zika Virus, a viral infection that can cause severe birth defects including microcephaly (a condition …
Father’s Day Food for Thought: Zika in a Man’s World
By Patricia Markland Cole, MPH, MotherToBaby Massachusetts **This information was current as of the time the blog was published. However, information is constantly changing. Please visit Zika Central for the latest information.** When it comes to pregnancy, so much of the attention is focused on the woman: her nutrition, her health, her behavior and just about her whole world comes under scrutiny in order to promote a healthy pregnancy; but what about the man? His nutrition, health, and …
Fighting The Bite: A Woman’s Guide to Avoiding Zika in Pregnancy
By Patricia Markland Cole, MPH, MotherToBaby Massachusetts **This information was current as of the time the blog was published. However, information is constantly changing. Please visit Zika Central for the latest information.** Zika, Zika, Zika……everywhere you turn someone is talking about Zika and it’s not hard to understand why. Last fall in Brazil, the cases began coming in with unusual frequency. Health care providers noticed an increase in babies born with small heads and small brains, …
