Jacksonville, FL (May 5, 2016) – In response to Gov. Rick Scott’s Zika Virus concern over the virus becoming mosquito borne in the U.S. this summer, more specifically in the state of Florida, infertility expert Dr. Samuel E. Brown, a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility specialist with Brown Fertility counters this statement and recommends at this time there should be no hesitation in couples wanting to grow their families.
The concern over the Zika virus in North Florida is understood. However, there has not been a single case in North Florida locally infected, and the future concern is for South Florida only and the border of Texas. There have been no regional local infections or any self-propagated cases, and the only cases in the United States have been from patients traveling from other countries that have the infection.
CDC Precautions for Pregnant Women
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has been on top of this Zika Virus issue and simply recommends precautions such as, long sleeve shirts and pants for women that are pregnant, as well as, the use of bug spray or insect repellant as this is not a concern for birth defects. They currently recommend women who are pregnant to abstain from traveling to countries where the disease is prevalent, and women traveling from countries with active infection abstain from attempting pregnancy for a few weeks to ameliorate their Zika virus concern.
The CDC has also shown that of pregnant women who get infected, only a very small percentage actually has birth defects (approximately 1%). A more alarming concern is for patients that are taking anti-depressants and anti-seizure medications, for these medications could lead to more birth defects with children than the Zika virus. Appropriate attention should be made regarding mosquito control – as is the case in countries with Malaria. We recommend that families continue to grow and there is no reason to be alarmed at this point in time.
Brown Fertility’s Commitment
“We would be happy to discuss Zika Virus concerns with patients in consultation to allay any current fears and provide preventative recommendations”, stated Dr. Samuel E. Brown.
Dr. Brown is now the most trained Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility specialist in the Southeastern United States. He is double board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology; and has a Master of Science Degree in Andrology &Embryology.
About Brown Fertility: With more than 30 years of combined experience and the management of more than 5,000 IVF cycles, Dr. Samuel E. Brown and Dr. Rafael A. Cabrera are dedicated to Conceiving Miracles™. Brown Fertility offers a fully comprehensive array of fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, egg donation and artificial insemination and is home to Florida’s most state-of-the-art IVF center, which produces some of the highest pregnancy rates in the country. Brown Fertility has earned a reputation for not only producing excellent outcomes and offering affordable treatment options, but also for providing patients with the one-on-one attention and the compassionate care they deserve. Visit brownfertility.com for more information.