Year later, all 42 Zika-infected pregnant women deliver healthy babies

Indian Express

5 days ago

Dr Nameeta Mokashi Bhalerao, a gynaecologist and fertility consultant at Baner, recalled how she would double-check each image of the foetus's brain, heart, spinal cord during the ultrasound examination, knowing what was at stake. 'This was a precious pregnancy for my patient as the 36-year-old woman had a previous miscarriage, three failed IVF cycles and had finally conceived. But to her extreme dismay, she had contracted Zika virus infection,' Dr Bhalerao said.
Zika virus infection during pregnancy, as per various studies, can lead to microcephaly, a condition where the baby is born with a smaller than expected head size. There was visible concern when a year ago Pune battled a challenging outbreak of Zika virus infection with nearly half of the 109 cases reported among pregnant women. While health authorities-maintained vigilance and monitored the pregnant women, a year-on data with Pune Municipal Corporation shows that barring one woman who had voluntarily decided to terminate her pregnancy, all the 42 other women have given birth.
The 36-year-old woman who gave birth to a healthy boy is among this group and when contacted, her husband who requested anonymity, told The Indian Express that it was an extremely stressful situation.
'It was towards the end of the first trimester when my wife developed a rash and had a mild fever. We remember reading about Zika virus infection in the newspapers and our worst fears turned true when her blood report was positive for the virus. We consulted several doctors including paediatric specialists and neurosurgeons. We were given options on terminating the pregnancy, but it was too hard to digest that this was happening to us. It is indeed a precious pregnancy, and we decided to go ahead with it,' he said.
On December 31, 2024, his wife gave birth to a 3.5 kg healthy baby and post-delivery too scans were taken to rule out any deformity. Dr Bhalerao, who handled this case, remembered how excited the couple was and then the woman got a rash and itch that was not settling.
'She had contracted Zika virus infection in the first trimester–a period where organ development occurs in the foetus. The first three months are crucial and naturally the couple was extremely worried. On my part, we sent out messages to gynaecologists' WhatsApp groups seeking more information. While the Zika virus infection was treated, the couple decided to continue the pregnancy and several investigations were carried out including brain MRI of the foetus, doppler studies and others. Eventually a C-section was planned, and the woman gave birth to a healthy baby,' Dr Bhalerao recalled.
When contacted, Dr Rajesh Dighe, Assistant Health Officer, Pune Municipal Corporation, said cases of Zika were reported mainly from Erandwane, Kothrud, Ghole Road, Wadarwadi, Pashan, Mundhwa, and Kharadi. Of the total 43 Zika-infected pregnant women, one decided to voluntarily terminate her pregnancy. 'However, all the others have given birth to healthy babies,' Dr Dighe said. Anomaly scans were done after 23-24 weeks of pregnancy, and they were normal. Accredited Social Health Activists and Auxiliary Nursing Midwives have also conducted home-based follow-up visits to ensure newborn care, the official said, adding that surveillance activities were intensified as part of their preparedness levels this monsoon season.
Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition.
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