Rio 2016 - Athletes freeze sperm over Zika virus fears + some advice…
British long jumper Greg Rutherford has had his sperm frozen before competing at the Rio Olympics because of fears about the Zika virus, reports BBC Sport.
The mosquito-borne virus, which is linked to serious birth defects, has been declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Greg Rutherford’s partner Susie Verrill:
We've made the decision to have Greg's sperm frozen. It's just another thing we don't want to chance.
Dr David Hughes from the Australian Olympic Committee has prepared a compact and useful document with some advice on Zika and avoiding mosquito bites:
Family planning post-Rio
Females returning to Australia from Brazil, who are considering starting a family, should
- Avoid conception for at least eight weeks after leaving Brazil
- Consult their medical practitioner for further advice, prior to conception
Males returning to Australia from Brazil, who are considering starting a family, should
- Abstain or use barrier contraception for at least 6 months after leaving Brazil and
- Continue to use barrier contraception until they have consulted their medical practitioner for
For the complete document click here.
Why do you need to worry about mosquito bites?
- Mosquito-borne diseases are transmitted from one person to another via the mosquito
- Mosquitoes have lots of small meals rather than big meals. That means that the mosquito that bites you has almost certainly bitten several other people before you, and can transmit diseases to you from those people.
For the complete document click here.