In February of 2016, the World Health Organization declared Zika a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and the Centers for Disease and Prevention elevated its Zika Emergency Operation Center activation to Level 1, its highest level. The Zika epidemic is unique in many ways, particularly in that women and reproductive health care are at the center of the epidemic.
Most people who are infected with Zika are asymptomatic; those who do have symptoms generally have a mild, self-limited infection. However, a pregnant woman can pass the infection to her fetus, which can lead to severe outcomes. As ob.gyns., we are called upon to guide pregnant women who have been exposed or infected regarding testing, diagnosis, options counseling, surveillance, and management. Additionally, we can help pregnant women prevent Zika infection. Discuss avoiding travel for her and her partner(s) to areas with Zika. Encourage strategies for mosquito bite prevention if traveling to endemic areas and at home. Recommend abstaining from sex or using a condom for those who have partners who have recently traveled to areas with Zika transmission.
With that said, most of our patients are not pregnant. Many are capable of pregnancy and potentially at risk for unintended pregnancy since almost half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended ( N Engl J Med. 2016 Mar 3;374[9]:843-52 ). Contraception for women who are not desiring pregnancy may help prevent unintended pregnancy, but also may help prevent the serious effects that can be seen with mother-to-fetus transmission of Zika. We can play a critical role in this important prevention message for nonpregnant women.
We do not know how long the Zika virus will continue to spread nor do we know whether we will have local transmission in the continental U.S. But we do know that travel is common and sexual transmission is possible. As such, all women need to be educated about the Zika virus. All women should be aware of the risks it poses for their reproductive health and be given an opportunity to discuss what that might mean to each of them. Whether a woman is planning a pregnancy, trying to avoid one, or is unsure of what she wants, having a conversation with her ob.gyn. may help her feel informed and supported in making the best decision for her right now. This may be particularly true of her plans for pregnancy timing and the use of contraception and condoms.
Beyond travel screening and mosquito bite prevention strategies, there are several key messages that we are uniquely poised to relay about Zika prevention. First, women who have been exposed to Zika should delay trying to conceive for 8 weeks. The recommendation for male partners to delay conception ranges from 8 weeks to 6 months depending upon local transmission and presence of symptoms. For those who are not trying to become pregnant or who want to delay pregnancy because of Zika concerns or exposures, we should offer the full range of contraceptive options and work with each patient to optimize her contraceptive selection, based on her individual preferences, goals, and needs. Finally, women should be counseled to avoid transmission from sex by choosing to not have sex or by using a condom with each act of sex with a partner who may have been exposed to Zika.
Our understanding of Zika infection is rapidly evolving. It will be particularly important for us to stay current on this issue. Providers can access up-to-date information about Zika, provider updates, patient information, posters and other information about the emergency response from the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html .
There are several tools available for guidance in these conversations. On July 1, 2016, the Office of Population Affairs released a toolkit for Providing Family Planning Care for Non-Pregnant Women and Men of Reproductive Age in the Context of Zika. It is available online at: www.hhs.gov/opa/news#toolkit .
The CDC also offers comprehensive guidance on providing contraception. Providers can access the Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use , the Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use , and Providing Quality Family Planning Services , all of which are available on the CDC website.
Dr. Kottke is an associate professor in the department of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the director of the Jane Fonda Center at Emory, which is involved in research and program development focused on adolescent sexual and reproductive health. She also serves as the medical consultant for the state of Georgia’s Family Planning Program. Dr. Kottke reported that she is a Nexplanon (Merck) trainer, is a consultant to CSL Behring, and serves on the advisory board for Evofem.
