Senior WHO Doctor Talks About Zika Virus Risks to Pregnant Women

Dr. Anthony Costello, director of the World Health Organization’s department of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, describes the risks to pregnant women potentially caused by the Zika virus that has sparked a global public health emergency. Though the virus presents relatively mild symptoms in average patients, it is linked to microcephaly in unborn babies of pregnant women who have contracted Zika.

Microcephaly is the result of the brain developing abnormally in the womb, resulting in the birth of children with heads significantly smaller than those of other babies.

In this video, Costello addresses the following questions: How does a pregnant woman know if her baby is affected; what support would be needed following a diagnosis of microcephaly; and what steps can be taken to protect from Zika virus. Credit: YouTube/World Health Organization