The American Academy of Family Physicians recently released numbers from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that provide information related to the Zika virus and pregnant women.
Thanks to two improved surveillance systems and partnerships between local, state, territorial and tribal health departments, health professionals can report and monitor congenital outcomes and pregnancies. These are important for symptomatic and asymptomatic women who may have infections of the Zika virus.
"These data will improve clinical guidance, inform counseling messages for pregnant women and facilitate planning for clinical and public health services for affected families," according to the CDC report.
The surveillance systems are currently monitoring 157 and another 122 pregnant women. These women show laboratory evidence of potential infections with the Zika virus.
"The range of health effects linked with Zika infection during pregnancy, as well as how many and which pregnancies may be at risk of poor outcomes, are essential pieces of information for the public health response to the Zika outbreak," CDC representatives said in a statement. "This information will help health care providers as they counsel pregnant women affected by Zika and is essential for planning at the federal, state and local levels for clinical, public health and other services needed to support pregnant women and families affected by Zika."
It is important to have ongoing monitoring approaches for the Zika virus, so that health professionals know which prevention methods to implement.
