Essentially in the same vein of the 2014 Ebola epidemic, along come a new disease that has the capability talking and many con- cerned- the Zika virus.

According to the World Health Organiza- tion, Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. In mid- 2015, Brazil experienced an outbreak, causing a chain of events leading to its spread across the Western Hemisphere. More than 13 countries in the Americas have reported virus infections since its emergence. Some locations in Africa also reported transmission.

Symptoms typically include mild fever, skin rash and conjunctivitis; but it’s what the virus does to pregnant women that’s raising concern.

The Zika virus, when transmitted to wom- en who are in their first or second trimester of pregnancy, will cause birth defects to the fetus including microcephaly, a condition that is as- sociated with smaller heads and brain defects. Children that are born with this condition have a drastically shortened life expectancy and ex- tremely poor brain function.

The link between Zika, which before 2015 was considered a mild infection, and malfor- mation in fetuses has yet to be determined fully, but the relationship is clear and it spells disaster for the human race.

To complement this cloud of uncertainty, women from all walks of life are now being told to avoid getting pregnant to minimize the impact of the Zika virus. According to Flori- dahealth.gov, there have been 16 confirmed cases of the Zika virus, prompting the state to declare a state of public health emergency, warning travelers to be vigilant whenever they go overseas to countries where the virus has been prevalent.

Mosquitoes are a persistent little bunch and the Zika virus has the potential to really put a damper on humanity’s population growth, given the effects of transmission. But at the same time, the Zika virus also has the potential to show us just how unfair society seems to be toward women.

For instance, for women in South American countries that are Catholic, contraceptives and other methods of birth control are extremely hard to come by. When the Zika virus posed a threat, Latin American governments, such as El Salvador or Columbia, opted to warn women to not get pregnant or postpone the act of get- ting pregnant all together. Abortion is illegal in El Salvador and it’s a crime punishable by im- prisonment. It’s quite the catch 22. Many of the same countries that ban contraceptives expect women to not get pregnant.

As disappointing as that is, it’s a reality we can’t avoid. And, despite the negative effects that the Zika virus is continuing to impose, it’s also doing us a justice – providing a real- ity check that hopefully sends a clear message towards those supporting such ridiculous anti- pregnancy laws.