Information About Zika - Madison Women's Health

Information below is offered by the CDC

CDC’s Response to Zika Doctor’s Visit Checklist:

For Pregnant Women Who Traveled to an Area with Zika*

If you are pregnant and traveled to an area with Zika, you should talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider, even if you don’t feel sick. Bring this checklist to your visit to make sure you don’t forget to discuss anything important.

Here are some topics and questions you may want to discuss with your doctor or other healthcare provider:

When did you travel to an area with Zika?
Where did you travel?
In what trimester was your pregnancy when you traveled to an area with Zika?
Did you have any symptoms of Zika during your trip or within 2 weeks of returning?
The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.
Should you be tested for Zika virus?
If you have symptoms of Zika, testing for Zika should be done within 7 days of when the symptoms began.
In some cases, if you do not have symptoms of Zika, testing for Zika can be offered.
Do you need an ultrasound?
Do you need to be referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist?
How can you prevent sexual transmission of Zika virus?

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ZIKA VIRUS TESTING FOR ANY PREGNANT WOMAN NOT LIVING IN AN AREA WITH ZIKA

CDC understands that a pregnant woman may be worried and have questions about Zika virus infection (Zika) during pregnancy. Learn more about Zika virus testing for a pregnant woman and what you might expect if you have Zika during your pregnancy.

How Zika spreads.

A pregnant woman who does not live in an area with Zika can catch the virus from a mosquito bite while visiting an area where mosquitoes are spreading Zika. She can also get Zika through sex with an infected partner. For more information on transmission of Zika, visit www.cdc.gov/zika/transmission.

What CDC knows about Zika virus and pregnancy.

Zika virus can spread from mother to fetus during pregnancy and around the time of birth.
Zika virus can cause birth defects and has been linked with other problems in infants.

What CDC doesn’t yet know about Zika virus and pregnancy and is researching quickly to find out.

If a woman is infected during pregnancy, we don’t know

How likely it is that the virus will affect her or her pregnancy.
How likely it is that the virus will be passed to the fetus.
How likely it is that the fetus, if infected, will have birth defects.
When in pregnancy the infection might harm the fetus.

How can a pregnant woman find out if she has Zika?

If a pregnant woman gets infected with Zika, the virus will be in her blood and urine for up to two weeks. If she gets sick with a fever, joint pain, rash, or red eyes, doctors or other healthcare providers can test small amounts of her blood and urine and test them for Zika virus.
If she never feels sick, or if more than two weeks have gone by since possible exposure to Zika (through travel or sexual contact with an infected partner), doctors can order a different test to look for evidence of Zika infection.

What do the test results mean?

What happens if samples from a pregnant woman test positive?

If a woman has a positive test result for Zika during pregnancy, it signals to her doctor or other healthcare provider to watch her pregnancy more closely, meaning the provider might do more ultrasounds or other tests to check the growth and development of her fetus and check for any signs of Zika virus infection. CDC recommends steps for doctors or other healthcare providers to help care for pregnant women.

What happens if a pregnant woman’s test results are inconclusive (not positive or negative)?

Sometimes, if the tests aren’t clearly positive or negative, the results are considered inconclusive. If the test results are inconclusive, her doctor may follow the CDC recommendations for a positive test result, meaning he or she might do more ultrasounds or other tests to monitor your pregnancy.

What happens if a pregnant woman tests negative?

If she tests negative, her doctor may check the growth and development of the fetus during an ultrasound and check for any signs of Zika virus infection. If there are no signs of Zika virus infection, routine prenatal care is recommended. If her doctor sees signs of Zika virus infection during an ultrasound, then the doctor may do additional tests.

For more information from the CDC, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/zika/