Co-Authored by Milka Dinev & David Fleming
As the Rio Olympics kick off this week, we’re acutely aware of the absence created by athletes who chose to stay home because of the Zika virus outbreak. The reason they opted out is simple — concern for the children they plan to have in the near future — because Zika during pregnancy can cause microcephaly, a severe brain defect.
In less than a year, the virus has caused more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly and almost 400 stillbirths in Brazil alone. And while Olympic athletes and fans can decide to stay home to avoid the pregnancy-related risks of Zika, that’s not an option for the millions of women and families that live in affected areas.
Read more on Huffington Post.