Zika Concerns Raise Social Chatter For Birth Control; Teva Most Likely To Benefit

The latest data from Ticker Tags provides some unique insight into the fears that the Zika virus outbreak is causing around the world. Ticker Tags monitors social media sites to identify trends by searching for words or phrases that appear together in social media content, such as tweets.

Back in early February, social media chatter about Zika had skyrocketed much higher than any discussions of West Nile or Bird Flu over the past 18 months. In recent weeks, concerns over the impact that the virus could have on pregnancies has become a hot topic on social media.

Related Link: Zika-Related Social Media Chatter Is Picking Up

Zika is known to cause major birth defects among, and those living in affected areas seem to be taking the threats the virus poses very seriously. Social media mentions of “zika” + “birth control” and “zika” + “pregnancy” have been on the rise in recent weeks as women in some countries have been officially advised to postpone pregnancies due to the Zika threat.

El Salvador is even asking women not to have babies until at least 2018.

All of this discussion about the risks of pregnancy could be a big boost to contraception companies, including Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ADR) TEVA, maker of the Plan B pill. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. CHD, maker of Trojan brand condoms, could also be a beneficiary from the Zika birth defect fears.

Disclosure: the author holds no position in the stocks mentioned.