ALTHOUGH 26-year-old Shadee understands the concerns surrounding the possible link between Zika virus and babies being born with a birth defect, she thinks it is unfair for the Ministry of Health to advise women to delay getting pregnant for the next six to 12 months.

ALTHOUGH 26-year-old Shadee understands the concerns surrounding the possible link between Zika virus and babies being born with a birth defect, she thinks it is unfair for the Ministry of Health to advise women to delay getting pregnant for the next six to 12 months.

Shadee told the Jamaica Observer that she and her husband have been trying to get pregnant for the past two years, and that despite the Ministry of Health’s advice, they will continue trying.

The Ministry of Health last week advised women to delay becoming pregnant for the next six to 12 months, and those already pregnant should take extra precaution to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, given the possible link between Zika virus infection and microcephaly.

Microcephaly is an abnormal growth of the brain and stunting of the growth of the head of the foetus arising from infection in the first months of pregnancy. Babies who develop microcephaly in the womb may not live to full term, may be born prematurely, may be still born, or may survive but with lifelong disability.

Health Minister Horace Dalley said then that although there is no absolute proof, the evidence from Brazil and the information from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and other technical partners is strong enough for the ministry to take this position in seeking to prevent any possible adverse outcome to pregnant women.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus, as of last week, has been confirmed in 19 countries within the Americas. They are: Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, St Martin, Suriname, and Venezuela.

“I understand the concern that they have, but it is kind of unfair to those that have been trying for years to just all of a sudden stop trying,” Shadee told Your Health Your Wealth.

Delaying pregnancy would, therefore, not work in her favour.

“I wouldn’t say that I am worried, I just know that I am going to take even more precautions as it pertains to destroying the mosquito-breeding sites, which I don’t really have,” Shadee explained. “And we live in an area that’s meshed for the most part, and whenever going out, just ensure I use mosquito repellent.”

The 26-year-old said there is always more that the Ministry of Health can do in terms of raising the awareness level of the public, but admitted that this is dependent on the resources available.

Sanishi, on the other hand, thinks the Ministry of Health definitely needs to go beyond just issuing an advisory for women to delay getting pregnant.

She told Your Health Your Wealth that although she and her husband might not be actively trying to get pregnant, they are preparing themselves just in case they do get pregnant and that an advisory from the health ministry is not enough to stop them.

“I hear what they are saying, but in order for me to not continue on with my life, they need to give me more facts,” Sanishi insisted. “To me, it just sounds like rumours, just like how during the chikungunya outbreak people were having a lot of different symptoms, with some people going to the doctor to find out if it they had CHIKV once they had a simple headache or were feeling pain — everybody blamed it on CHIKV.

“We really don’t know what is what, that is my opinion as it relates to the public,” Sanishi said. “They need to be giving out more information, have some more campaigns on the television, give me some facts.

“Don’t tell me that I should not do something, if you are not going to present the facts before me,” she said.

She insists that she is not worried.

“You can’t just come out and just tell the population, ‘do not get pregnant’. What if it is really a method of trying to control the population size. We really don’t know. They need to give me, personally, more information,” Sanishi reiterated.

But for another 27-year-old woman, the Ministry of Health’s advice is enough. Before hearing the health ministry’s position she was considering becoming pregnant. However, since then, the issue is no longer on the table.

“Zika virus is scary, it is no joke,” said the woman who opted to remain anonymous. She would rather wait 12 months than put her unborn child at risk, she added.

It is too late for another 27-year-old to delay getting pregnant however. In fact, her baby is due in another two months. The woman, who opted not to be named, told Your Health Your Wealth that she is not perturbed because she is taking several precautions to protect her unborn child.

“Well, honestly, I’m not worried because they said it’s in the earlier months, which would be the first trimester there about,” she explained. “I didn’t get CHIKV, even though almost everybody around me had it.

“I don’t usually get illnesses so easily,” she continued.

The 27-year-old did admit that she is concerned about her unborn child, but not overly worried.

“I use repellents, but not the one with DEET because last time I checked, pregnant women shouldn’t be using that — but that’s something I’ll confirm with my doctor at my next visit,” she said. “At home I don’t have any uncovered drums or anything like that.”

However, she, too, thinks the Ministry of Health needs to do more.

“They are definitely not doing enough. This is Jamaica; you can’t control when people get pregnant. But then again, as to how much they can do, I’m not sure,” she said.

The Ministry of Health has been urging citizens to destroy mosquito-breeding sites in order to minimise the impact of the Zika virus, once confirmed on the island’s shores.

People can destroy mosquito- breeding sites by looking for anything around the home, school, churches, and business places that may collect water and either cover it, keep it dry or dispose of it. Repair leaking pipes and outdoor faucets, cut the grass short and trim shrubbery, clear roof gutters and eaves to prevent water from settling, and fill in and drain any low places in the yard, such as areas where there are usually puddles when it rains.

People can protect themselves from mosquito bites by using insect repellent containing DEET, putting mesh on windows and doors, and wearing long-sleeved clothing where possible.

As the virus makes its way across the region, locally, the Ministry of Health has heightened its alert and has scaled up its vector control activities.