A Catholic group appealed to Pope Francis on Wednesday to allow Church members to "follow their conscience" and use contraception or to let women have abortions to protect themselves against the Zika virus.
The appeal came as the World Health Organization (WHO) advised women in areas with the virus to protect themselves, especially during pregnancy, by covering up against mosquitoes and practising safe sex with their partners.
Zika has been linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil and is spreading rapidly in the Americas.
The first known case of Zika in the United States was reported last week by local health officials, who said it was probably contracted through sex and not a mosquito bite.
Catholics for Choice, a liberal advocacy group based in Washington, said in a statement it would run ads in the International New York Times and El Dario de Hoy in El Salvador on Thursday, the eve of a papal trip to Cuba and Mexico. Washington, said in a statement it would run ads in the International New York Times and El Dario de Hoy in El Salvador on Thursday, the eve of a papal trip to Cuba and Mexico.
"When you travel tomorrow (Friday) to Latin America, we ask you to make it clear to your brother bishops that good Catholics can follow their conscience and use birth control to protect themselves and their partners," the ad will say, according to advance excerpts released in the statement.
Catholics for Choice asked Francis, Latin America's first pope, to "really stand in solidarity with the poor".
"Women's decisions around pregnancy, including the decision to end a pregnancy, need to be respected, not condemned," it said.
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