Why Brazil doesn't want its women to get pregnant

Updated
Why Brazil Doesn't Want Its Women to Get Pregnant
Why Brazil Doesn't Want Its Women to Get Pregnant


Brazil is telling women not to get pregnant. Yes, you read that right. That's because women in Brazil who've been bitten by certain mosquitoes could put their babies at risk of having a brain disorder. It's triggered by the Zika virus.

Brazil has had a problem with dengue fever in the past, which is also carried by the same mosquito. Before doctors noticed the risk of the brain disorder, there were few problems other than feverish symptoms and rashes associated with the Zika virus.

See the top 5 cities for mosquitoes:

Six states in Brazil have declared a state of emergency because of the epidemic, which has infected about a million people — including hundreds of pregnant women and babies.

The disease isn't native to the South American region, and the infected mosquitoes are unlikely to spread north to the U.S. because they prefer tropical climates.

RELATED: New mosquito-borne virus spreads in Latin America

More from AOL.com:
Family hopes new discovery leads to man missing 25 years
Black Lives Matter to protest at Mall of America again despite warning
Grand jury indicts truck driver in Tracy Morgan crash

Advertisement