Commentary: Women and the Zika Virus

Image from www.nytimes.com

With the rapid spread of Zika virus in Brazil and the links to complications in newborns, the World Health Organization has stated that the situation meets the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Due to the serious nature of the virus, Partners in Health Canada recently discussed with Dr. Joia Mukherjee, Partner In Health’s chief medical officer and a renowned infectious disease expert, to get the “need to know”. Dr. Mukherjee discussed how there are many unknowns, such as how little is known about the effects of the Zika virus on newborns.

While many organizations expand access to innovative women's health services, women in poor communities too often lack access to family planning tools. Clinics are too far away, fees for obtaining medical care are too high, and transportation costs are beyond their means. If family planning services were available to all women who want them, maternal mortality in poor countries could be dramatically reduced. This has serious implications for the women and children who are infected with the Zika virus.

So while there is some understanding of birth defects on children, something to consider is that there is even less known about the effects on the child-rearing mothers after birth.

While short-term symptoms of the Zika virus disease can include: fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes, for both men and women, the long-term effects are not well-known. In addition to unknown physical implications on child-rearing women, it is important to consider implications in other domains.

For example, raising a child with birth defects in a developing nation can have implications for the mental health and well-being of the mother. And how will these potential mental health implications play out at the population level? If there is an effect, will this play into the health of generations to come?

So if the best thing for young women in Brazil to do is avoid pregnancy at this time, what about the implications on reproductive rights? In Brazil, abortions are not encouraged amongst pregnant women, however now that there is an outbreak, how will this impede on the abortion debate and the care provided to women?

The aforementioned questions raised should be considered in shaping development work and priorities in upcoming months in contributing to women’s health, given the extensive impact of the Zika virus in impacted countries.