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the claim
Zika virus causes birth defects only if contracted during pregnancy
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
Recorded sources
12 sources for · 0 against
Is it true that Zika virus causes birth defects only if contracted during pregnancy?
Yes. Multiple scientific studies and reviews consistently support the conclusion that congenital birth defects related to Zika virus occur as a result of infection contracted during pregnancy.
Verdict: SUPPORTED · 12 sources for, 0 against · Last checked
The analysis
Every retrieved paper discussing the etiology of Zika-associated birth defects attributes them specifically to prenatal (in utero / congenital) exposure. There are no papers refuting the claim that these defects stem from maternal-fetal transmission during pregnancy.
Evidence for · 12
States that Zika virus infection during pregnancy causes serious birth defects and neurodevelopmental abnormalities.
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Rice, M. E., Galang, R., Roth, N. M., Ellington, S., Moore, C., Valencia-Prado, M., Ellis, E., Tufa, A., Taulung, L. A., Alfred, J., Pérez-Padilla, J., Delgado-López, C., Zaki, S., Reagan‐Steiner, S., Bhatnagar, J., Nahabedian, J. F., Reynolds, M. R., Yeargin-Allsopp, M., Viens, L. J., Olson, S. M., Jones, A. M., Baez-Santiago, M. A., Oppong-Twene, P., VanMaldeghem, K., Simon, E., Moore, J. T., Polen, K., Hillman, B., Ropeti, R., Nieves-Ferrer, L., Marcano-Huertas, M., Masao, C., Anzures, E., Hansen, R. L., Pérez-Gonzalez, S. I., Espinet-Crespo, C. P., Luciano-Román, M., Shapiro-Mendoza, C., Gilboa, S., & Honein, M. (2018). Vital Signs: Zika-Associated Birth Defects and Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities Possibly Associated with Congenital Zika Virus Infection — U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States, 2018. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6731e1
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More for · 11
Examines birth defects associated with congenital Zika virus infection contracted during pregnancy.
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Cragan, J., Mai, C. T., Petersen, E., Liberman, R., Forestieri, N., Stevens, A. C., Delaney, A., Dawson, A. L., Ellington, S., Shapiro-Mendoza, C., Dunn, J., Higgins, C. A., Meyer, R., Williams, T., Polen, K., Newsome, K., Reynolds, M. R., Isenburg, J. L., Gilboa, S., Meaney-Delman, D., Moore, C., Boyle, C., & Honein, M. (2017). Baseline Prevalence of Birth Defects Associated with Congenital Zika Virus Infection — Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, 2013–2014. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6608a4
Identifies Zika virus as a cause of microcephaly and other serious birth defects when acquired prenatally.
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Rasmussen, S. A. & Jamieson, D. J. (2020). Teratogen update: Zika virus and pregnancy. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdr2.1781
Discusses teratogenic effects of Zika virus observed in fetuses and newborns following maternal infection.
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Gilbert, R. K., Petersen, L. R., Honein, M. A., Moore, C. A., & Rasmussen, S. A. (2022). Zika virus as a cause of birth defects: Were the teratogenic effects of Zika virus missed for decades?. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdr2.2134
Analyzes adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes of Zika virus infection based on timing of infection during pregnancy.
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Souza, J. P., Méio, M. D., Andrade, L. D. d., Figueiredo, M. R., Junior, S. C. G. G., Junior, J. P. P., Brickley, E., & Moreira, M. E. L. (2021). Adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with confirmed Zika Virus infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A cohort study. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008893
Describes congenital Zika syndrome resulting from prenatal infection.
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Martelli, C. M., Cortes, F., Brandão-Filho, S. P., Turchi, M. D., Souza, W. V., Araújo, T., Ximenes, R., & Miranda-Filho, D. (2024). Clinical spectrum of congenital Zika virus infection in Brazil: Update and issues for research development. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0153-2024
Characterizes neurodevelopmental abnormalities following congenital Zika virus exposure in utero.
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Neelam, V., Woodworth, K. R., Chang, D., Roth, N. M., Reynolds, M. R., Akosa, A., Carr, C., Anderson, K. N., Mulkey, S., DeBiasi, R., Biddle, C., Lee, E., Elmore, A. L., Scotland, S., Sowunmi, S., Longcore, N. D., Ahmed, M., Langlois, P., Khuwaja, S. A., Browne, S., Lind, L., Shim, K., Gosciminski, M., Blumenfeld, R., Khuntia, S., Halai, U., Locklear, A., Chan, M., Willabus, T., Tonzel, J. L., Marzec, N. S., Barreto, N. A., Sánchez, C., Fornoff, J., Hale, S., Nance, A., Iguchi, L., Adibhatla, S. N., Potts, E. J., Schiffman, E., Raman, D., McDonald, M. F., Stricklin, B., Ludwig, E., Denson, L., Contreras, D., Romitti, P., Ferrell, E., Marx, M., Signs, K., Cook, A., Leedom, V., Beauregard, S., Orantes, L. C., Cronquist, L., Roush, L., Godfred-Cato, S., Gilboa, S., Meaney-Delman, D., Honein, M., Moore, C. A., & Tong, V. T. (2023). Outcomes up to age 36 months after congenital Zika virus infection—U.S. states. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02787-9
Summarizes effects of antenatal exposure to Zika virus leading to teratogenic potential and congenital Zika syndrome.
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P, B., K, N., L, G., T, F., & ME, L. M. (2025). A decade later, what have we learned from the Zika epidemic in children with intrauterine exposure?. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(25)00826-8
Evaluates brain abnormalities and birth defects in newborn infants whose mothers were infected with Zika virus during pregnancy.
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Ba, F., Li, H., Ding, S., Guo, T., Zhang, J., & Sun, Y. (2025). Zika Virus‐Related Birth Defects and Neurological Complications: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/rmv.70019
Investigates neonatal outcomes associated with Zika virus infection during pregnancy.
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K, N., T, K., ACM, D., S, A. d. S., K, A., L, D., T, K., T, F., JG, D., ME, M., Z, V., A, Z., M, S., SM, B. d. L., & P, B. (2025). Development of Maternal Antibodies Post ZIKV in Pregnancy is Associated with Lower Risk of Microcephaly and Structural Brain Abnormalities in Exposed Infants.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaf146
Assesses developmental outcomes of children with prenatal Zika virus exposure.
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Rodríguez-Rabassa, M., Appleton, A. A., Rosario-Villafañe, V., Repollet-Carrer, I., Borges-Rodríguez, M., Dedós-Peña, L., González, M., Velázquez-González, P., Muniz-Rodriguez, K., Mántaras-Ortiz, C., Rivera-Amill, V., Olivieri-Ramos, O., & Alvarado-Domenech, L. I. (2024). Associations between the social environment and early childhood developmental outcomes of Puerto Rican children with prenatal Zika virus exposure: a cross-sectional study. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04806-y
Notes that both prenatal and postnatal exposure can be studied, but links congenital birth defects specifically to prenatal exposure.
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Gutkes, J., Krabbe, N. P., Ausderau, K. K., & Mohr, E. (2025). Macaque models of prenatal and postnatal Zika virus exposure and developmental outcomes.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpids/piaf024
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What does the evidence say?
Every retrieved paper discussing the etiology of Zika-associated birth defects attributes them specifically to prenatal (in utero / congenital) exposure. There are no papers refuting the claim that these defects stem from maternal-fetal transmission during pregnancy.
Receipt History
first checked05 Aug 2026
judged → SUPPORTED · 8905 Aug 2026
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