British obstetricians have been issued guidelines on the care of pregnant women who have visited countries with Zika virus outbreaks.
Women will get regular ultrasound scans and referral to specialist services if necessary, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
The college said there would be no threat to most pregnant women – as the mosquitoes that carry the virus are not found in the UK.
It urged women who have returned from affected countries to inform their GP, midwife or obstetrician.
And while the outbreak is largely confined to the Americas, the World Health Organisation warned yesterday of the risk of mosquitoes in some European countries getting the virus.
The college says that strong DEET insect repellants are safe in pregnancy.
The college says the first indication of microcephaly may come at 20 weeks of gestation – but a final diagnosis would not normally be given until 28 weeks.
Professor Alan Cameron from the college said: “We fully support the advice that pregnant women should consider avoiding travelling to countries where Zika virus outbreaks are ongoing, in order to reduce the potential risk to their babies.
“Pregnant women who must travel, or choose to travel, to a country with active Zika virus transmission should take all necessary precautions to minimise the chances of mosquito bites. Insect repellents with concentrations of DEET up to 50% are commonly available and are safe for pregnant women.”
Leave a Reply