The Monkeypox virus can be passed onto a foetus from the mother during pregnancy.
This is according to District Medical Officer Dr. Alisha Bonadie while speaking on radio.
Dr. Bonadie was at the time speaking about groups of persons who would be vulnerable to the viral zoonotic disease.
“We spoke about patients who are immuno-compromised for some reason or the other whether they have HIV, we spoke about patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. So these are our high risk groups, of course pregnant females as well, they can pass this onto the foetus, the research would show that you can pass on monkeypox from a pregnant mother to the foetus via the placenta,” Dr. Bonadie said.
Dr. Bonadie said that while there have been no confirmed cases of monkeypox here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it is important that the public remains vigilant, especially those in vulnerable groups.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Children, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems are at risk for complications from mpox.
