Q: If a pregnant woman, in her second trimester, suffers from Chikungunya, will this harm the fetus? If yes, what are the effects?

A:If a mother gets chikungunya virus infection between 3 and 4.5 months into pregnancy; mother to fetus infection can occur. Before and after that period in pregnancy, any infection has not been reported. However, there is a 48 percent risk of infection at birth if the virus is still present in the mother's blood. Such an infection may cause miscarriages, but any increases in cases of birth defects has not been seen. Fever, in general, can trigger uterine contractions, miscarriages or fetal deaths.