Zika can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus.
Zika infection during pregnancy can cause certain birth defects.
Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected mosquito. Zika-carrying mosquitos are aggressive daytime biters. They can also bite at night.
There has been no local transmission of Zika in the continental US.
There is no vaccine to prevent and no medicine to treat Zika.
Zika can be spread by a man to his sex partners.
More about Zika
What we don’t know about Zika
We don’t know if there is a safe time during your pregnancy to travel to an area with Zika.
If you do travel and are infected, we don’t know how likely it is that the virus will infect your fetus and if your baby will have birth defects.
Symptoms of Zika
Many people with Zika won’t know that they have it. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
The most common symptoms of Zika are:
Fever
Rash
Joint Pain
Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
Special precautions for pregnant women
Delay travel to areas with Zika.
Pregnant women and their male partners should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.
If you have a male sex partner who lives in or travels to an area with Zika, you should use condoms the right way every time you have sex, or do not have sex during the pregnancy.
If you develop the symptoms of Zika, see a healthcare provider right away for testing.
Special precautions for women trying to become pregnant
Women trying to become pregnant and their male partners should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.
Talk to your healthcare provider about plans to become pregnant.
Your Best Protection: Prevent Mosquito Bites
Wear clothing that protects your skin. You can also treat clothing with permethrin or purchase permethrin-treated clothing. Do NOT use permethrin products directly on skin.
When indoors, stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside. Sleep under a mosquito bed net if air conditioned or screened rooms are not available or if sleeping outdoors.
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents. When used as directed, these insect repellents are safe and effective for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
