According to a Thursday update from the World Health Organization, researchers around the world have reached a consensus — the Zika virus does indeed cause the birth defect microcephaly, Guillain-Barré syndrome and other neurological disorders.
Prior to Thursday, the WHO had categorized the link between Zika and these disorders as "highly likely." The shift in rhetoric is the result of substantial scientific research accumulated since the WHO declared Zika an international health emergency in February.
According to NPR, the CDC is in agreement with the WHO. "At this point the most pressing question people want answered is, 'If I get a Zika infection during pregnancy what are the chances my baby is going to be affected?'" Anne Schuchat, MD, the deputy director of the CDC, told NPR. "We really feel a sense of urgency to both answer that question and to help stop the spread of the virus."
Dr. Schuchat went on to say that Zika could also potentially linked to other birth defects, stillbirths and miscarriages. More research is needed to determine the level of risk to a fetus if the mother becomes infected with Zika.
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Ultrasounds may give mothers with Zika false hope: 5 things to know
FDA approves new test to screen for Zika in blood donations