UTMB researchers recomend more education on the risks of Zika virus infection and proper preventative measures.
A survey conducted by researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston focused on pregnant women in Southeast Texas. The participants included women born in the U.S. as well as women who had immigrated to the U.S. from central and South America where the Zika virus is locally transmitted.

The findings were published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

“What we found with this survey was that there are several gaps in knowledge about Zika and that women wanted to know more about it,” said Dr. Abbey Berenson, lead author of the study and director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health at UTMB.

While almost all the women surveyed said they had heard of the Zika virus, most did not know that, along with mosquito bites, the virus could be spread through sex even if that partner did not display any of the symptoms associated with Zika.

The survey also found that about half of the women knew that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended against traveling to outbreak areas during pregnancy but those surveyed had little knowledge of what areas had confirmed mosquito–borne outbreaks of Zika.

Another cause for concern was that most of the women surveyed did not frequently use mosquito repellant. Almost half of the women in the survey said they were worried about the safety of using repellent during pregnancy, according to the study.

“A key finding of our study was that many pregnant women who may be at risk of contracting the Zika virus do not use mosquito repellants because they fear they are unsafe during pregnancy,” Berenson said. “But this is not true. Mosquito repellents that are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency are not only safe to use, the CDC actually recommends pregnant women use them in areas with Zika virus transmission.”

There was strong support for testing for Zika and most women surveyed said they’d agree to be vaccinated against Zika if a vaccine became available.

Women surveyed also said they would like to know more about the Zika virus from their health care provider.

“While the survey only looked at pregnant women in Southeast Texas, it is an important reminder to health care providers to talk to their patients about Zika, how it is transmitted and how to lower the risks of acquiring the virus,” Berenson said.