CDC track pregnant ladies by Registries infected with Zika virus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working hard with local, state and territorial public health departments on surveillance of pregnant ladies that have laboratory proof of potential Zika virus infection. The CDC has established the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry and the Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System in Puerto Rico to give detailed monitoring of pregnant ladies and infant outcomes. These registries will help CDC track pregnant ladies infected with Zika virus.

The registries are assisting the CDC track pregnant ladies infected with Zika Virus and to better understand the range of adverse results that appear in infants and when in pregnancy those dangers are highest for microcephaly and other extreme birth defects caused by the Zika virus.

In accordance to Margaret Honein, chief of the CDC’s Birth Defects Branch and co-lead of its Pregnancy and Birth Defects Task Force, the information collected through the registries will be utilized to update suggestions for clinical care, plan for services and support for pregnant ladies and families infected by Zika, as well as make better prevention of infection during the time of pregnancy.

Honein, an epidemiologist, notices that the Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant lady to her fetus, which can cause destructive birth defects.

As of the day October 13, Honein claims that there are 899 pregnant ladies with laboratory proof of possible Zika virus infection in the USA and District of Columbia, and 1,927 in the U.S. territories. In the U.S. and D.C., 23 live-born infants with birth defects and 5 pregnancy losses with birth defects have been reported—the figures are based on data provided to the pregnancy surveillance systems.

“How this is handled at the state and regional level varies a lot from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but electronic health records EHRs) are being used at many sites,” in accordance to Honein.

When it comes to detecting pregnant ladies infected by Zika, the CDC in the months of August and September made awards to state, regional and territorial health departments for what Honein calls “rapid birth defects surveillance” as well as to “work on the pregnancy registries.”

Previously this month, Congress assigned $1.1 billion in supplemental funding to battle against Zika. Of that, $394 million will go to the CDC.

Zika is significantly spread by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. Although, the Zika virus also can be transmitted through sex.

“It is significant to follow CDC instruction and screen all pregnant ladies for possible Zika virus exposure,” Honein summarizes. “At every prenatal visit, healthcare providers should be inquiring pregnant ladies about travel to places with active Zika virus infection or any sexual partners who might have travelled to a region with active Zika virus transmission—and then for those who’ve exposure, testing.” So, these registries will help CDC track pregnant ladies infected with Zika virus.