Zika Virus

Hi ladies,

Is the Zika virus still a threat in Mexico and Jamaica? We’re booked to go in the next few weeks and it never entered our heads until now. (Stupid I know)

I’m 16 weeks pregnant, we’re going on a cruise so the boat will only be docked in these places for 8 hours each. Would it be safe just to stay indoors on the ship for these times??

I have an appointment with the doc tomorrow for further info.

Has anyone travelled to these places lately? Any information/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[emmab178]

Seems that whole area is a zika risk wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/w...

Both you and your other half need to be very careful to avoid mosquito bites. Also if he gets bitten you need to be having protected sex for 6 months on your return.

Can you postpone the trip?

[Hidden]

At the moment I don’t even want to go! My mother in law thinks I’m overreacting and just being silly, and my partner does a bit too. I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Her advice was if I don’t go my partner should take his 17 year old son instead.

[Zoepatterson]

We were due to go to Thailand and I fell pregnant. I was only in early weeks but we decided to cancel. At first my partner thought I was over reacting but then when I explained and we saw a doctor he realised the risks. Me personally, I felt like I wouldn't enjoy my pregnancy worried that I had caught the virus and affecting our baby. Some people have also went and been absolutely fine so it really is a personal choice. Hope you get something sorted. X

[Hidden in reply to Zoepatterson]

I’m really hoping he will see sense after we go to the doctor this evening, I feel so stupid for not looking into this earlier. It’s been out of the news for so long that it never entered my head. I really don’t want to take a chance, I know the doctor is going to tell me not to go. His mother, who is the best in the world, has been on lots of cruises even during the height of the Zika says there were loads of pregnant woman on board who just didn’t get off at the affected stops, and that I should just get a grip. I would never forgive myself if there was anything wrong with the baby

[Shem008]

We had the option of going to the Dominican Republic in September with my husband’s work but it turned out to be my due date so we declined. We unfortunately lost that baby early on but decided not to book anyway as we would either be pregnant again or at least trying by that point and didn’t want any risk as that area is on the Zika risk map. I ended up being pregnant and we were glad we hadn’t booked although the trip has now been postponed until January now anyway due to the hurricanes that were going on. Again my husband has opted out as I’ll be about 23/24 weeks pregnant by that point and we are avoiding any risk. We haven’t sought any advice though and this is literally just all based on my own concerns. I would say only your doctor can give you a good idea of whether it’s actually safe for you or not and what mosquito protection to use if you do go. Also it is worth checking with your travel insurance about what you are covered for before you go. It is normally dependent on your doctor saying you are fit and well and not at any risk. If your doctor advises you don’t travel and you decided to go anyway, you may not be covered if anything happens. Xx

[roxannacar]

It doesn't matter what other people say ... You might go and be absolutely fine but what if you're not? Personally Seems like a risk not worth taking

[Gym-Jim]

Hi there. We had a holiday booked to Mexico earlier this year and planned to get pregnant after returning. However as things turned out my wife got pregnant before we went. I was very concerned and wanted to cancel the holiday completely. Would have lost about £6K. My wife was adamant that we still go.

While there, we were very careful with mosquito sprays, bands and clothing choices. But alas both ended up getting bitten multiple times on a boat trip.

We were also both ill with heavy cold symptoms. Though were fairly sure this was something we picked up on the plane out.

Upon returning my wife asked both the midwife and her GP about Zika and neither of them were interested and advised that they wouldn't be testing her for it.

However the advice in the USA is to absolutely get tested as can potentially have serious effects on the baby.

The reason the NHS don't want to test is because they haven't really seen any cases in the UK, the media hype has dropped off and most importantly: because it costs them money. Despite this the threat and risk is exactly the same as before.

I took a different approach and phoned the doctor to say I think I had contracted a tropical disease while abroad, I didn't mention Zika, just where I'd been and that I felt very ill. I basically just made it difficult for the receptionist to deflect me.

I got in to see the GP and then mentioned Zika, said my wife was pregnant, that we'd both had cold symptoms. I said to the GP that the only way you can rule it out is with a blood/urine test, this is what they do in all cases in the USA and without knowing for sure, that even if my wife hadn't contract Zika while abroad, if I had, that I could still pass it to her for up to 6 months. The GP took this onboard, admitted she didn't know a great deal about the virus and contacted the local hospital consultant for diseases.

The follow on from this was a blood and urine test being arranged for both my wife and I. There was a long delay with the test results as had to go off to a specialist centre. Eventually we both returned clear results.

Pregnancy is many months on now and all indicators point to a healthy baby with no obvious head size problems.

Hope this helps in some way!

Jim

[Hidden in reply to Gym-Jim]

Thanks for your comment Jim, god it sounds so scary!! I spoke to the Doc yesterday and he recons if I stay indoors, in an air conditioned room, mosquitoes don’t like cold, while docked in Mexico and Jamaica that, we should be ok, they’ll still be a risk, but very small, (3%). Also wear light colour and no perfume.

Like ye we’ve also spent a packet on this holiday and have been waiting for it almost a year now. I’d hate to cancel but obviously if I had to I would.

I hope everything goes well with your little bundle, it’s very exciting times 😊

[junebabyduex]

Hi I’m 9 weeks and fell in Mexico 🇲🇽 when i told the midwife she said I’d have to have an extra scan because of the Zika virus , I didn’t have vaccines before I went either , all is fine but they’ll probably just offer you another scan plus, if your going near cancun beware the food is horrible wherever you go 😅🤣 have fun x