CDC outlines pregnancy guidelines for Zika-infected couples

Pregnant woman installs a mosquito net to protect herself from the Zika virus
(Image credit: Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images)

Women infected with the Zika virus should wait at least eight weeks after the start of their symptoms before trying to get pregnant, The New York Times reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Men should wait six months before having unprotected sex, as the virus lives longer in semen.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus, which originated in Brazil, is thought to be linked to birth defects. In February, the World Health Organization declared the virus a public health emergency.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.