Caring for Pregnant Women
Summary
- CDC recommends that pregnant women should not travel to areas with a Zika outbreak (as indicated by red areas on the Zika map). Before travel to other areas with risk of Zika (as indicated by purple areas on the Zika map), pregnant women should discuss their travel plans with their healthcare provider and carefully consider the risks and possible consequences of travel to these areas. If a pregnant woman must travel to one of these areas, she should be counseled to strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites and prevent sexual transmission of Zika during and after the trip.
- CDC’s Zika virus testing recommendations for pregnant women are available on the Zika and Testing webpage.
Guidance
- UPDATE: Interim Guidance for Health Care Providers Caring for Pregnant Women with Possible Zika Virus (MMWR, July 24, 2017)
- HAN Advisory: Prolonged IgM Antibody Response in People Infected with Zika Virus: Implications for Interpreting Serologic Testing Results for Pregnant Women (May 5, 2017)
- HAN Advisory: CDC Updates Guidance for Pregnant Women and Women and Men of Reproductive Age for Zika Virus Infection Related to the Ongoing Investigation of Local Mosquito-borne Zika Virus Transmission in Miami-Dade County, Florida (October 19, 2016)
- HAN Advisory: CDC Guidance for Travel and Testing of Pregnant Women and Women of Reproductive Age for Zika Virus Infection Related to the Investigation for Local Mosquito-borne Zika Virus Transmission in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, Florida (HAN, Aug. 1, 2016)
- Interim Guidance for Health Care Providers Caring for Pregnant Women with Possible Zika Virus Exposure – United States, July 2016 (MMWR, Jul. 25, 2016)
- Interim Guidance for Health Care Providers Caring for Women of Reproductive Age with Possible Zika Virus Exposure – United States, 2016 (MMWR, Mar. 25, 2016)
- Interim Guidelines for Health Care Providers Caring for Pregnant Women and Women of Reproductive Age with Possible Zika Virus Exposure – United States, 2016 (MMWR, Feb. 5, 2016)
- Interim Guidelines for Pregnant Women During a Zika Virus Outbreak—United States, 2016 (MMWR, Jan. 22, 2016)
Featured Tools
New Tools
Clinical Summary Form – This form can facilitate communication about possible Zika exposure during pregnancy from an obstetrician to a pediatrician. The Obstetrics provider can fill out the initial section about maternal Zika exposure or infection and then send the form to the pediatrician for infant follow-up.
Page last reviewed: April 14, 2022