Zika virus: Pregnant or planning a pregnancy

The Public Health Agency of Canada has updated the recommendation for travellers visiting countries or areas with risk of Zika virus and the classification of countries according to risk or potential risk of Zika virus.

• PHAC no longer recommends that pregnant women or women who are trying to conceive avoid travelling to countries or areas with risk of Zika virus. Instead, they are advised to discuss potential travel with a health care professional, and may choose to avoid or postpone travel to these areas. PHAC continues to recommend that pregnant women avoid travelling to areas with a current Zika virus outbreak.
• The country classification scheme has been updated and aligns with the World Health Organization classification scheme. This scheme categorizes countries according to the presence or absence of current or historical reported Zika virus transmission.

On this page

• Risks of Zika virus during pregnancy
• Travel Recommendations
• Planning a pregnancy after travelling
• When to test for Zika virus

Risks of Zika virus during pregnancy

Zika virus infection in a pregnant woman can pose significant risks to the unborn baby, even if the woman does not develop symptoms.

Zika virus infection causes damage to the fetal nervous system that affects how the brain and other nervous tissue develops and functions. There are 5 unique features, called congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), that are commonly seen together which include:

• abnormally small head (microcephaly) with partially collapsed skull
• incomplete brain development and damage
• increased muscle tone affecting movement
• club foot and contracted limbs
• abnormal development of the eyes, including visual problems

Hearing loss and other neurological problems have also been reported. Some babies have no obvious problems at birth but their skull and brain develop more slowly as they grow.

Babies born to women who had the Zika virus infection during pregnancy should be followed up during their first year. This will help doctors to detect and manage any potential problems that are not apparent at birth.

Travel Recommendations

Pregnant women

Take special precautions to avoid infection with Zika virus.

• Avoid travelling to a country or area with a current Zika virus outbreak.
• Visit a health care professional at least 6 weeks before travelling to discuss the potential risks of travelling to a country or area with risk of Zika virus. Pregnant women may choose to avoid or postpone travel to these areas.
• If you choose to travel:
  • Prevent mosquito bites at all times.
  • Protect yourself from contact with semen, vaginal fluid and blood.
  • Always use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact while in countries or areas with risk of Zika virus.
• For the duration of the pregnancy, always use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact with anyone who has travelled to a country or area with risk of Zika virus.

All travellers

• Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic at least 6 weeks before you travel.
• Prevent mosquito bites at all times.
• Protect yourself from contact with semen, vaginal fluid and blood during travel in countries or areas with risk of Zika virus.
• Always use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact while in countries or areas with risk of Zika virus.

Planning a pregnancy after travelling

Zika virus can be sexually transmitted. Infected men with or without symptoms, can carry Zika virus in their semen for a prolonged period of time. Partners should be aware of the risk so they can make informed travel decisions and take appropriate precautions.

If you are planning a pregnancy after travelling:

• Women should wait 2 months after travel or after onset of illness due to Zika virus (whichever is longer) before trying for a pregnancy, to reduce the risk of passing the virus to the unborn baby.
• Men should wait 3 months after travel or after onset of illness due to Zika virus (whichever is longer) before trying for a pregnancy. Infectious Zika virus has been found in the semen of some infected men for a prolonged period of time. During this 3-month period, men should:
  • always use condoms correctly, or
  • avoid sexual contact

When to test for Zika virus

If you are pregnant and think you have been exposed to or infected with Zika virus, contact your health care professional. Your health care professional may arrange an appointment for you with an infectious diseases specialist. Testing is recommended if you have symptoms of Zika virus or recently had symptoms of Zika virus that are now gone, and:

• travelled to a country or area with risk of Zika virus while pregnant
• became pregnant within 2 months after travelling to a country or area with risk of Zika virus
• are pregnant and have had unprotected sexual contact with:
  • someone diagnosed with Zika virus infection
  • someone who travelled to a country or area with risk of Zika virus

Testing is a consideration for pregnant women who do not have a history of Zika virus symptoms but have:

• travelled or became pregnant within 2 months after travelling to a country or area with risk of Zika virus
• had unprotected sexual contact with:
  • someone diagnosed with Zika virus infection
  • someone who travelled to a country or area with risk of Zika virus

Testing for Zika virus is not recommended, even if you are pregnant, if:

• you do not have a travel history to a country or area with risk of Zika virus
• you do not have a sexual partner with a travel history to a country or area with risk of Zika virus

There is currently no evidence that Zika virus:

• will cause infection in a baby conceived after the virus is cleared from an infected mother and the semen of her sexual partner, or
• poses a risk of birth defects for future pregnancies