The spread of Zika virus in Latin America has been associated with microcephaly, due to the rise of newborn children with the said condition. However, a new study suggests that Zika may lead to more harmful birth defects.

Zika and Microcephaly

Two babies with underdeveloped heads and brains, which are signs of microcephaly, died in Brazil. This situation convinced health officials that there is a link between the two because they found evidence of the Zika virus in the tissues of the newborns.

Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmed that the said scenario is a strong indication that the Zika virus causes microcephaly. However, he noted that more tests are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

Zika May Cause More Harm

A new study suggests that apart from microcephaly, Zika virus may cause a more serious threat to babies.

Researchers found a stillborn baby from Brazil suffering with microcephaly. The baby had lost almost all of his brain tissue and there was severe tissue inflammation due to the irregular buildup of fluid in the body.

At the time, health experts were uncertain if the same condition would apply to babies with microcephaly. Nonetheless, it raises a new concern against the Zika virus.

"These findings raise concerns that the virus may cause severe damage to fetuses leading to stillbirths and may be associated with effects other than those seen in the central nervous system," said Alberto Ko, co-author of the study.

The 20-year-old mom believed that she had a normal pregnancy because she didn't experience any symptoms of Zika infection, which usually includes fever, joint pain, rashes and pink eye. However, it should be noted that most individuals with Zika didn't experience the said symptoms either.

The researchers were convinced that she was inflicted with the Zika virus in her first trimester, which is a crucial stage in brain development for infants. During her 18th week of pregnancy, the baby's weight was alarmingly low and in her 30th week of pregnancy, the results showed a variety of birth defects.

In her 32nd week, the doctors induced labor because the baby did not survive. Stillbirth is when a baby dies in the womb of the mother after 20 weeks. This situation usually happens before labor. However, there are few instances when stillbirth occurs during labor and birth.

Among the reasons for stillbirth are bleeding, pre-existing diabetes, placental abruption and infection in the mother, which may also affect the baby, such as the case with Zika.

Colombia Helps Pregnant Mom

Colombia helps pregnant women in their region by screening those who are suspected of having Zika virus. They do ultrasounds regularly until the baby is born to make sure that the child is healthy since signs of microcephaly only show up in the second or third trimester.