title: Population-based pregnancy and birth defects surveillance in the era of Zika virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zika virus is a newly recognized human teratogen; monitoring its impact on the birth prevalence of microcephaly and other adverse pregnancy outcomes will continue to be an urgent need in the United States and worldwide.
  
  
  METHODS
  When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated the Emergency Operations Center for the Zika virus outbreak response in January of 2016, public health leadership recognized that a joint, coordinated effort was required between activities focused on the effects of the infection among pregnant women and those focused on birth defects in fetuses and infants. Before the introduction of Zika virus in the Americas, population-based birth defects surveillance occurred independently of pregnancy surveillance activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The coordination of pregnancy surveillance and birth defects surveillance implemented through the CDC Zika virus response represents a paradigm shift.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coordination of these surveillance systems provides an opportunity to capture information from both a prospective and retrospective approach. This relatively modest investment in the public health infrastructure can continue to protect pregnant women and their infants during the ongoing response to Zika virus and in the next emergent threat to maternal and child health. Birth Defects Research 109:372-378, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gilboa
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Cara T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Carrie K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Shapiro-Mendoza
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Janet D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cragan
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Dana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Meaney-Delman
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Denise J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Jamieson
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Honein
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Coleen A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Boyle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Zika virus; birth defects; monitoring; pregnancy; surveillance