Zika Virus Causing Brazilians To Reevaluate Abortion Laws; Latin American Women Weigh Options To Avoid Pregnancy As Access To Contraceptives Limited

New York Times: Surge of Zika Virus Has Brazilians Re-examining Strict Abortion Laws
“The surging medical reports of babies being born with unusually small heads during the Zika epidemic in Brazil are igniting a fierce debate over the country’s abortion laws, which make the procedure illegal under most circumstances…” (Romero, 2/3).

Washington Post: Why Zika is a ticking ‘time bomb’ for Latin America
“…Latin America is where [Zika] — suspected of causing babies to be born with a condition called microcephaly, which results in unusually small heads and brains — is most prevalent. It is also predominantly Roman Catholic, and getting access to modern birth control methods like condoms and pills can be a challenge. ‘There is a lot of fear about Zika and pregnancy, but women don’t have a lot of options even if they have a desire to comply with the advice’ [to delay pregnancy,] Joshua Michaud, associate director of global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in an interview…” (Cha, 2/3).

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