CDC to Track Zika-Related Pregnancy Outcomes; What Pennsylvania Residents Need to Know

Why it matters locally: While Pennsylvania isn't a primary Zika hotspot like some Southern states, the CDC's expanded surveillance directly affects residents in several ways. Firstly, Pennsylvania women who travel to Zika-affected regions or who have partners who do are at risk. This new tracking system provides crucial data for these women and their doctors to make informed decisions about pregnancy planning and prenatal care. Enhanced data will help improve the ability to quickly determine the risks involved if there is a possibility of Zika virus infection during pregnancy and inform treatment of affected new borns. Secondly, Pennsylvania's healthcare system, including hospitals and doctors' offices, needs to be prepared to diagnose and treat potential Zika-related complications in infants. Funding for Zika research and preparedness, potentially influenced by the data collected through this surveillance, could impact Pennsylvania's public health resources. The increased data will allow Pennsylvania to better understand the longer term impacts and costs associated with Zika in affected pregnancies and to allocate resources as needed to address any increase in incidence.

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Atlanta – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the start of a new surveillance system to monitor pregnancy outcomes in women with laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection. Starting today, the agency will publicly report data related to adverse pregnancy and birth conditions potentially linked to Zika. The CDC aims to improve understanding of the virus's impact on pregnant women and their infants through this more detailed tracking. Key indicators to be monitored include: * Microcephaly * Other brain defects * Eye damage * Hearing loss * Impaired growth Previously, the CDC tracked Zika cases and provided guidelines for pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant. This new reporting system marks an expansion of those efforts, focusing specifically on the outcomes of pregnancies where Zika infection was potentially present. Data collected will add to the breadth of information regarding the health risks involved in contracting Zika virus during pregnancy.