Monitoring and Preventing Congenital Zika Syndrome

Abstract

The devastating fetal and infant outcomes associated with thalidomide use and rubella infection during pregnancy were key factors in the establishment of population-based surveillance for birth defects in the United States and globally to better monitor and address the effect of teratogens.1,2 This year, the recognition that Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and serious brain abnormalities and growing evidence of its association with other birth defects has similar potential to transform our approach to global surveillance for, research on, and prevention of birth defects.3 ZIKV infection during pregnancy highlights the challenges of adequately monitoring and . . .