If a pregnant woman gets infected with West Nile virus, can it affect her fetus?
Maybe. In 2002 there was one case of transmission of West Nile virus from a mother to her fetus during pregnancy. The newborn was infected with West Nile virus at birth and had severe neurological problems, including abnormalities of the brain and retinas. It is possible that West Nile virus caused these abnormalities in the baby; however, it is not proven. More information is now being gathered about other babies born to mothers infected with West Nile virus during pregnancy in order to improve our understanding of the effects of West Nile virus on the fetus and newborn. Three other instances of maternal infection were investigated in 2002; babies born to these mothers appeared normal and had negative laboratory tests for West Nile virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating outcomes of about 70 pregnant women who were infected with West Nile virus in 2003.
