Guidance for Providers Caring for Women and Men Of Reproductive Age with Possible Zika Virus Exposure
Announcements Aug 20, 2018
In September 2016, the ASRM issued a Zika guidance for providers that addressed the care of non-pregnant patients desiring pregnancy. This document, now updated, is based on new information, including the recent MMWR Vol. 67, August 7, 2018 issued by the CDC, “Update: Interim Guidance for Preconception Counseling and Prevention of Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus for Men with Possible Zika Virus Exposure – United States, August 2018.”e In particular, this revised ASRM document addresses those individuals and couples undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART) who are potentially imminently pregnant because of the high overall success rate of this infertility treatment, compared to other treatments and natural conception. These couples therefore should be considered to be in the periconceptional period and for them, this can be defined prospectively, whereas for those who conceive naturally, this period is defined retrospectively. Unlike patients attempting pregnancy on their own, achieving a pregnancy by an intervention such as ART is voluntary, and the active role of providers falls under the guiding principle of medicine of “do no harm.” This document was developed to specifically address couples who may be needing ART and/or the use of gametes and embryos.