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| W.H.O. Advises Pregnant Women to Avoid Areas Where Zika Is Spreading | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The World Health Organization on Tuesday advised pregnant women to avoid travel to areas where the Zika virus is spreading. | The World Health Organization on Tuesday advised pregnant women to avoid travel to areas where the Zika virus is spreading. |
| Experts on W.H.O.’s Zika emergency committee also recommended that pregnant women and their partners who may have been infected rely on abstinence or protected sex to prevent sexual transmission of the virus. | Experts on W.H.O.’s Zika emergency committee also recommended that pregnant women and their partners who may have been infected rely on abstinence or protected sex to prevent sexual transmission of the virus. |
| Sexual transmission is “more common than previously assumed,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the organization. | Sexual transmission is “more common than previously assumed,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the organization. |
| The committee experts emphasized that they were not recommending that pregnant women avoid whole countries, but that they avoid only “areas” where mosquitoes are transmitting the virus. | The committee experts emphasized that they were not recommending that pregnant women avoid whole countries, but that they avoid only “areas” where mosquitoes are transmitting the virus. |
| “The onus is on countries to report where they are having outbreaks,” said Dr. David L. Heymann, the emergency committee’s chairman. “Then it’s up to the pregnant women to decide whether they want to travel there.” | “The onus is on countries to report where they are having outbreaks,” said Dr. David L. Heymann, the emergency committee’s chairman. “Then it’s up to the pregnant women to decide whether they want to travel there.” |
| The agency stopped short of advising women who live in those areas to delay pregnancy. The virus has been linked to tiny heads and brain damage in infants born to infected women, as well as a paralysis in some adults. W.H.O. last month declared an international public health emergency because of the suspected connection between the virus and microcephaly. | The agency stopped short of advising women who live in those areas to delay pregnancy. The virus has been linked to tiny heads and brain damage in infants born to infected women, as well as a paralysis in some adults. W.H.O. last month declared an international public health emergency because of the suspected connection between the virus and microcephaly. |
| But Dr. Chan said women who chose to avoid becoming pregnant for fear of having children with birth defects should be given access to voluntary contraception. | But Dr. Chan said women who chose to avoid becoming pregnant for fear of having children with birth defects should be given access to voluntary contraception. |
| “All of this news is alarming,” Dr. Chan said. | “All of this news is alarming,” Dr. Chan said. |
| Both travel advisories and birth control advice are sensitive topics for the W.H.O. because it is a United Nations organization. Its member states often object to medical advice that country officials feel interferes with tourism, business or domestic policies. | Both travel advisories and birth control advice are sensitive topics for the W.H.O. because it is a United Nations organization. Its member states often object to medical advice that country officials feel interferes with tourism, business or domestic policies. |
| Previously, the W.H.O. had advised women only to “consider delaying travel” and to discuss travel plans with their doctors. | Previously, the W.H.O. had advised women only to “consider delaying travel” and to discuss travel plans with their doctors. |