Zika Virus Presents Tough Dilemma for Olympic Athletes
We’ve mostly been hearing that the Olympic athletes are still determined to brave the Zika virus and compete in the 2016 Summer Olympic games in Brazil. However, some speculate that this gung-ho attitude may not be the smartest choice of action.
Less than a week ago the CDC reiterated its warning that pregnant women should absolutely not travel to area where the Zika virus is active, particularly because of its link to cases microcephaly in infants. The most severe danger is to pregnant women, but even women who don’t travel are in danger of possibly catching the virus from their male partner through sex. That means women of childbearing age everywhere should be wary of this virus.
10,5000 young, healthy athletes, most of who are of child-bearing age, are expected to swarm Brazil this summer for the Olympics. As half of the pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, it’s not hard to guess that some of these women might be pregnant when they arrive and simply not know it. At least 16 Olympians have competed while pregnant in the past. And most of these women would be in their first trimester of their pregnancy. That is when the virus is most dangerous to the unborn child. That’s not the only concern. What about the pregnant female partners of Olympic athletes? If you ask me, this is a recipe for disaster.
Do you think female athletes should be more concerned about going to a country where the Zika virus is active?
