North Texas Pregnant Women Worried About Zika

As health officials confirm two cases of the Zika virus in Dallas County, North Texas pregnant women are calling their doctors looking for guidance.

Although yet to be proven, the Zika virus appears to be linked to hundreds of babies born with birth defects in South and Central America.

On Tuesday at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, mom-to-be Kelly Lewis expressed her concern.

"It's my first, so I'm five months," Lewis said. "I find myself more concerned about going out, doing things, whether it be catching a cold or catching anything like the flu."

Now she's worried about the Zika virus.

"It's very terrifying! It's very terrifying," Lewis said.

Her doctor has advised her not to take any trips to countries south of the United States.

"I am telling all of my pregnant patients not to traveling to areas where the Zika virus has been found," said Dr. Sheila Chhutani.

Chhutani said it's the unknown about the virus that scares most of her patients.

"Right now there is so much we don't know about it, and until more research is done I think it's better to be safe than sorry," she said. "Obviously no one wants to have a baby that has a birth defect, and so if there is something we can do to prevent that, we try to do that."

Chhutani said the best thing her patients and other pregnant women can do is to be smart.

Since there are no mosquitoes with the virus in North Texas, or the United States for that matter, there is an incredibly small risk for them to actually contract the virus.

"I'm not worried about my pregnant patients here. I'm more worried about them getting the flu or making sure they get their flu shots more than I am about the Zika virus," Chhutani said.

The best thing to do is avoid any places were Zika has been reported, and that is something Lewis will absolutely do.

"I'm staying right here. I'm staying put in the U.S.," she said.