What happened to the babies born with the small heads?
Some children with microcephaly are of normal intelligence and development, even though their heads will always be small for their age and sex. But depending on the cause and severity of the microcephaly, complications may include: Developmental delays, such as in speech and movement.
How many cases of microcephaly are due to Zika?
The 8301 cases of microcephaly were analyzed and confirmed by laboratory tests and neuroimaging methods, thus excluding incidents due to other congenital abnormalities. The results showed that 15% of the patients with microcephaly was related to Zika virus infection.
How long does a Zika baby live?
For some babies, the brain may be smooth with no folds or few folds. Some babies with smooth brain don’t have serious health problems, but others stop developing after 3 to 5 months and many die before they’re 2 years old.
Does Zika affect future pregnancies?
Once someone has been infected with Zika, it’s very likely they’ll be protected from future infections. There is no evidence that past Zika infection poses an increased risk of birth defects in future pregnancies.
How long can a Zika baby live?
Do premature babies have smaller heads?
Very Preterm (VP) and Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) infants have smaller heads at birth, and therefore smaller brains, but measuring their head growth helps monitor risks to their brain growth and future IQ.
Why are babies born with small heads Zika?
For a brief moment, these parents of children with microcephaly put aside their search for hard-to-find drugs needed to prevent their babies from having seizures, or the uncomfortable stares directed at their children, who were born with small heads because of a Zika virus infection in the womb.
How is the Zika outbreak affecting babies in Brazil?
Brazil Zika outbreak: More babies born with birth defects. In the worst affected area, about 1% of newborns have suspected microcephaly. The Brazilian authorities believe the increase is caused by an outbreak of Zika virus. Just 150 babies were born with microcephaly in 2014.
Can a Zika virus infection cause microcephaly?
Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of microcephaly. During pregnancy, a baby’s head grows because the baby’s brain grows.
How did the Zika virus affect Carol’s baby?
Carol had heard about Zika – a mosquito-borne virus that was spreading in northeastern Brazil – but the effects on fetal development were unknown. Gaby was born, in January 2016, with microcephaly – a condition in which a baby’s head is smaller than expected and the brain is not fully developed.