Pregnant women infected with the Zika virus during the first trimester have a risk of up to 13 percent that their infant will be born with the microcephaly birth defect, a new study says.
Scientists calculated the risk based on Zika infection data and cases of infants born with abnormally small heads and brains in French Polynesia, which experienced an outbreak in 2013-2014, and the hard-hit Brazilian state of Bahia.
Brazil has experienced an explosion of Zika infections and cases of microcephaly since 2015.
The study, which appeared Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, said the risk of microcephaly was very low for pregnant women who contracted the disease beyond the first trimester.
Researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Harvard University wrote that they found "a strong association between the risk of microcephaly and infection risk in the first trimester" of pregnancy, but "a negligible association in the second and third trimesters."
Experts agree that the mosquito-borne Zika virus is behind a surge in cases of microcephaly after their mothers were infected with the virus.
"Although much remains unknown about the effects of (Zika) infection during pregnancy, population-level data from French Polynesia and Bahia reveal a clear association between first-trimester (Zika) infection and microcephaly risk," the experts wrote.
They said "the estimated risk due to infection in the first trimester ranged from 0.88 percent... to 13.2 pecent."
If the risk of infection "is similar in the other geographic areas where (Zika) has since spread, many more cases of microcephaly and other adverse outcomes are likely to occur."
The researchers urged pregnant women to take precautions to avoid Zika infections, "and for health care systems to prepare for an increased burden of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the coming years."
Normally, microcephaly is rare in the United States, affecting only between 0.02 and 0.12 percent of all births in the United States.
In Brazil, 1,271 babies have been born with unusually small heads and deformed brains since the outbreak of Zika began there last year.
The virus, which usually triggers only mild, flu-like symptoms but can also cause the rare but serious neurological disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome, is mainly spread by two species of Aedes mosquito but has also been shown to transmit through sexual contact.
There is no vaccine to prevent Zika.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Mon May 30 2016
![Pregnant women with Zika have up to 13 pct risk of microcephaly: study Pregnant women with Zika have up to 13 pct risk of microcephaly: study](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2016-02/81454687632_950x600.jpg)
Experts agree that the mosquito-borne Zika virus is behind a surge in cases of microcephaly after their mothers were infected with the virus. - File Photo
Kylian Mbappe tandatangan kontrak dengan Real Madrid
Bintang bola sepak Perancis Kylian Mbappe menandatangani kontrak selama lima tahun dengan kelab Sepanyol Real Madrid pada Selasa.
Pelepasan ketujuh air sisa nuklear Fukushima ke laut selesai
Jepun telah menyelesaikan pusingan ketujuh pelepasan air sisa radioaktif yang dirawat dari loji kuasa nuklear Fukushima Daiichi ke Lautan Pasifik pada Selasa.
Empat termasuk kapten maut dalam pertempuran
Empat anggota tentera India termasuk kapten meninggal dunia akibat kecederaan selepas pertempuuran pada malam isnin di Hutan Desa.
Pakistan sahkan 4 warganya terbunuh di Oman
Pakistan berkata pada Selasa empat warganya terbunuh dalam insiden tembakan pada malam Isnin berhampiran ibu negara Oman, Muscat.
Lima terbunuh, puluhan cedera dalam protes antikuota di Bangladesh
Sekurang-kurangnya empat orang terbunuh dan puluhan lagi cedera dalam pertempuran antara pelajar yang memprotes sistem kuota dalam pekerjaan sektor awam dan polis di pelbagai bahagian Bangladesh pada Selasa.
Kerajaan cadang perkenal pembiayaan swasta
Kerajaan menyasarkan untuk memperkenalkan pembiayaan swasta alternatif bagi memastikan kemampanan kewangan program sektor air, sekali gus mengurangkan kebergantungan pada perbelanjaan kerajaan dan mengukuhkan daya tahan.
Saya tak fitnah Guan Eng, cuma jelaskan siasatan SPRM - Muhyiddin
Presiden Bersatu Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin memberitahu Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur hari ini bahawa beliau tidak memfitnah Lim Guan Eng berhubung isu pengecualian cukai terhadap Yayasan Albukhary
KPT alu-alukan dapatan, cadangan PAC - Zambry
Ini termasuklah cadangan pelaksanaan Garis Panduan Pelaburan dan Pembiayaan oleh Universiti Awam 2024 kepada anak-anak syarikat di bawah seliaan Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT).
Lebih 340,000 syarikat buat transaksi serah simpan maklumat pemunyaan benefisial
Sebanyak 340,637 syarikat telah membuat transaksi serah simpan maklumat pemunyaan benefisial (beneficial ownership) bagi tempoh 1 April hingga 14 Julai lepas.
Polis tunggu laporan makmal tentukan punca kematian Nur Farah Kartini
Polis sedang menunggu laporan makmal bagi menentukan punca kematian berhubung kes pembunuhan bekas penuntut Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah.
![Kru warga asing dilarang turun dari kapal selepas berlabuh - Wee Ka Siong Kru warga asing dilarang turun dari kapal selepas berlabuh - Wee Ka Siong](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-05/61621048551_PEMANTAUANUDARAAPM.jpg)
Kru warga asing dilarang turun dari kapal selepas berlabuh - Wee Ka Siong
Pengecualian hanya diberikan kepada warganegara Malaysia dan mereka juga diwajibkan kuarantin selama 14 hari di pusat-pusat kuarantin.
![Menteri Luar adakan lawatan rasmi ke China esok Menteri Luar adakan lawatan rasmi ke China esok](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-07/41594796240_Hishammuddin.jpg)
Menteri Luar adakan lawatan rasmi ke China esok
Menteri Luar , Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein akan mengadakan lawatan rasmi ke China dari 1 hingga 2 April 2021.
![COVID-19: Over 100 individuals in Penang undergo test COVID-19: Over 100 individuals in Penang undergo test](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-08/61596274626_lab.jpg)
COVID-19: Over 100 individuals in Penang undergo test
Most of them were tested negative for the disease while others are still waiting for the results, Penang Chief Minister said.
![Pak Lah in good health - Special officer Pak Lah in good health - Special officer](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-08/51596383594_TunAbdullah.jpg)
Pak Lah in good health - Special officer
Jefridin loaded this on Pak Lah's official Facebook account which is fully managed by Pertubuhan Legasi Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
![Recovered COVID-19 patients not immune to re-infection - Dr Noor Hisham Recovered COVID-19 patients not immune to re-infection - Dr Noor Hisham](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-04/71587281319_COVID.jpg)
Recovered COVID-19 patients not immune to re-infection - Dr Noor Hisham
Although there was a response to IgM and IgG antibodies, it did not protect the patient from being re-infected by the virus.
![Ministry studying ways to send IPT students home - Noraini Ahmad Ministry studying ways to send IPT students home - Noraini Ahmad](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2019-07/41563191019_NorainiAhmad.jpg)
Ministry studying ways to send IPT students home - Noraini Ahmad
The Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) will look into the best ways to send home students from institutions of higher education (IPT) from their campuses.
![COVID-19: KKM jejaki 5,000 jemaah tabligh Masjid Sri Petaling COVID-19: KKM jejaki 5,000 jemaah tabligh Masjid Sri Petaling](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-03/61583922259_TBcoronavirus.jpg)
COVID-19: KKM jejaki 5,000 jemaah tabligh Masjid Sri Petaling
Berikutan itu KKM telah mengarahkan semua Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri menjalankan siasatan lanjut mengenai perkara itu di negeri masing-masing.
![Di Finland, rakyat digesa makan berdiri untuk kekal sihat Di Finland, rakyat digesa makan berdiri untuk kekal sihat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-06/61435127914_EatingStanding.jpg)
Di Finland, rakyat digesa makan berdiri untuk kekal sihat
Finland menggesa rakyatnya agar mengamalkan makan sambil berdiri dalam usaha memerangi masalah kesihatan dan gaya hidup yang tidak aktif.
![Fakta: Derma Darah Fakta: Derma Darah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-08/51409298501_120x90.jpg)
Fakta: Derma Darah
Perkara yang anda perlu tahu sebelum menderma darah.