Birth Defects Registry

• Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus
• Infection during pregnancy can cause certain birth defects
• Zika primarily spreads through infected mosquitoes
• You can also get Zika through sex
• There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika

• If there’s a safe time during your pregnancy to travel to an area with Zika
• How likely it is that Zika infection will affect your pregnancy
• If your baby will have birth defects if you are infected while pregnant

Right now, Zika is spreading rapidly in Puerto Rico and pregnant women are at risk for becoming infected with Zika. If current trends continue, at least 1 in 4 people, including women who become pregnant, may become infected with Zika. Since Zika causes microcephaly and other birth defects, it is more important than ever for women in Puerto Rico to consider if now is the right time to get pregnant.

• If you decide that now isn’t the right time for you to have a baby, there are contraceptive methods that are safe and effective.
  
  
• If you do decide to get pregnant, there are important steps you should take to try to protect yourself from getting Zika.