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Meghan Markle Pregnancy Rumors Turn Controversial Thanks To The Zika Virus, Which Can Be Contracted In Fiji

By Mizuki Hisaka
Published on: 05:13 PST, Sep 13, 2018

It’s been months since the royal wedding, and fans have been anticipating the potential baby announcement from Meghan and Harry with bated breath. Recently, the duchess wore a blue dress with ruffles to a gala event, which photographed poorly, giving her the illusion of having a baby bump. The speculation surrounding a pregnancy is not unexpected, however, but recent comments by royal reporter Richard Palmer have stirred up some defensive fans.

According to Town and Country Magazine, Palmer tweeted a message that has some people irritated.

“Bookmaker Coral has cut the odds on Harry and Meghan’s first child being born next year to 1-4. But I believe women visiting areas affected by Zika are advised to wait up to six months before trying to get pregnant. That may be an issue in Fiji and Tonga.”

And while it’s true that couples that visit countries where one can contract the Zika virus are advised to abstain from trying to conceive, some people think that the speculation is crossing a line.

One fan account, Meghan and her Prince, blasted the topic.

“I hope that this isn’t what yourself & other reporters choose to focus on for this tour…. We all know, H&M obviously know the risks. It was also updated a year ago to 3 months, if tested positive. Can we please step out of Meghan’s uterus? It’s really not our business.”

And while the information that Palmer provided is based on the government’s health advisories, Meghan and her prince have a good point that it’s not the fans’ place to worry about health concerns that the royals already know about.

The Zika virus is contracted through a bite from a mosquito, most often the Aedes mosquitoes. While most mosquito bites are only annoying and cause no further ill effects, being bit by a Zika-infested mosquito can lead to fever, rash, headache, and even joint pain, according to the World Health Organization. On the other hand, some people don’t exhibit any symptoms at all.

However, for those who want to conceive and have a child, the risk of Zika is increased. It’s because the virus can cause microcephaly and congenital Zika syndrome in the newborn. It can later develop into further problems as the baby gets older, including Guillain-Barre syndrome. Also, the virus can cause an early birth or even miscarriage.

The topic is likely to come back up again as Meghan and Harry prepare to visit Fiji and Tonga. The couple will be in Fiji on October 23 and 24. They’ll then head to Tonga on October 25.

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