There were 136 new cases of pregnant women with laboratory evidence of Zika infection reported during the 2-week period ending Nov. 30, along with four liveborn infants with Zika-related birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC did not report new totals for pregnant women and pregnancy outcomes for the week ending Nov. 23, so the most recent data release covers the 2-week period from Nov. 17-30. That 2-week total was barely more than the 124 reported for the week ending Nov. 10.
The four infants born with Zika-related birth defects were all born in the 50 states and D.C., as the CDC is no longer reporting adverse pregnancy outcomes for the territories because Puerto Rico is not using the same “inclusion criteria to monitor brain abnormalities and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.” As of Sept. 29 – the date of the last territorial report – there had been one liveborn infant and one pregnancy loss related to Zika. There were no new pregnancy losses with Zika-related birth defects in the states/D.C., so that number remains at five, while the total number of liveborn infants with Zika-related birth defects is now 32, the CDC reported.
Zika-related birth defects reported by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
The pregnancy-related figures for states, territories, and D.C. reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.