Pregnant Women
How to protect yourself
Until we know more, CDC recommends special precautions for pregnant women.
Do not travel to an area with Zika
- Do not travel to areas with Zika.
- If you must travel, talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider first and take steps to plan for travel.
- Talk with your doctor and consider postponing nonessential travel to countries in CDC’s special travel considerations for Southeast Asia.
- If your sex partner travels to an area with Zika, protect yourself from getting Zika during sex.
What to do if you live in or travel to an area with Zika
If you live in an area with Zika, or if you or your sexual partner travel to an area with Zika, follow the steps below to protect your pregnancy.
- Take steps to prevent mosquito bites.
- Take steps to prevent getting Zika through sex.
- Talk with your doctor or healthcare provider.
If you… | When to talk with a doctor | When to be tested |
---|---|---|
Traveled to an area with Zika | Talk to a doctor or other healthcare provider about your travel even if you don’t feel sick. | If you have symptoms of Zika within 2 weeks of traveling, you should be tested for Zika. |
If you do not develop symptoms of Zika within 2 weeks of traveling, you should be tested for Zika. | ||
Live in an area with Zika | Talk to a doctor or other healthcare provider throughout your pregnancy. |
You may be at risk of getting Zika throughout your pregnancy. For this reason, doctors or other healthcare providers can offer testing
If you have symptoms of Zika at any time during your pregnancy, you should be tested for Zika. |
Items to discuss with your doctor or other healthcare provider
See your doctor or other healthcare provider if you have the symptoms described above and have visited or live in an area with Zika.
Doctor’s Visit Checklist: For Pregnant Women Who Traveled to an Area with Zika
Doctor’s Visit Checklist: For Pregnant Women Living in an Area with Zika
Zika Virus Testing for Pregnant Women Living in an Area with Zika
Zika Virus Testing for Any Pregnant Woman Not Living in an Area With Zika
If you test positive for Zika
A positive test result might cause concerns, but it doesn’t mean your baby will have birth defects.
For Pregnant Women: A Positive Zika Virus Test: What does it mean for me?
If you test positive for Zika and live in the U.S.
To understand more about Zika virus infection, CDC established the US Zika Pregnancy Registry and is collaborating with state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments to collect information about pregnancy and infant outcomes following laboratory evidence of Zika virus.
Related Resources
![Infographic thumbnail: Pregnant? Read this before you travel.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170127025529im_/https://www.cdc.gov/zika/images/zika-pregnancytravel.jpg)
Pregnant? Read this before you travel
![Infographic: Pregnant and living in an area with Zika?](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170127025529im_/https://www.cdc.gov/zika/images/preg_areaswithzika.jpg)
Pregnant and living in an area with Zika?
![Pregnant? Protect your pregnancy infographic thumbnail](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170127025529im_/https://www.cdc.gov/zika/images/protect-your-pregnancy.jpg)
For pregnant women in areas with Zika: Protect your pregnancy
![Poster - Pregnant? Warning: Zika might be linked to birth defects. There is no vaccine to prevent Zika virus infection. Protect yourself from mosquito bites](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170127025529im_/https://www.cdc.gov/zika/images/zika-pregnancy-poster.jpg)
Pregnant? Protect yourself from mosquito bites
![Zika and Sex: Information for Pregnant Women living in Areas with Zika factsheet thumbnail](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170127025529im_/https://www.cdc.gov/zika/images/pregsextransmission.jpg)
Zika and Sex: Information for pregnant women living in areas with Zika
![Zika and Sex: Information for men with pregnant partners living in areas with Zika infographic thumbnail](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170127025529im_/https://www.cdc.gov/zika/images/mensexwithpregpartners.jpg)
Zika and Sex: Information for men who have pregnant partners and live in or recently traveled to areas with Zika
- Page last reviewed: October 17, 2016
- Page last updated: October 17, 2016
- Content source: