Here’s a new threat for perspective parents to worry about:

Zika, a mosquito born virus, has been linked to wide spread birth defects, and in particular causes children to be born with smaller-than-usual brains. In 2015 the virus spread through Brazil, affecting as many as 1.3 million people.

This has caused several South American governments to take the unusual step of telling women to avoid pregnancy altogether. El Salvador even issued an advisory warning women to avoid pregnancy until at least 2018.

Since it’s apparent emergence in May of 2015, the virus has spread to 21 countries. According to a report by the World Health Organization, it is expected to spread to the United States in the very near future.

In all my time following safety issues, I don’t ever remember an advisory being issued to avoid pregnancy altogether.  This speaks volumes about how worried health officials are over this parasitic virus.