1 in 7 Babies Exposed To Zika Have Birth Defects, Nervous System Problems

"The first look at how children exposed to Zika virus in the womb are faring at age 1 and older is out, and the report is sobering.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study out Tuesday found that about 1 in 7 babies exposed to Zika during pregnancy appear to have significant, ongoing health issues.

The data analyzed come from a registry of 1,450 children in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands whose mothers were confirmed through lab tests to have been exposed to Zika while pregnant. Six percent of the children suffered from birth defects such as small head size and brain and eye damage. Nine percent had at least one neurodevelopmental issue such as seizures or difficulty swallowing. And 1 percent had both."

Ariana Eunjung Cha reports for the Washington Post August 7, 2018.

Source: Washington Post, 08/08/2018