Zika virus - no mosquito bites, so are we safe to conceive?

[Chacesmommy]

I have just been on holiday to Jamaica (high risk of Zika virus) with my husband & 5 year old. We were concerned about getting bitten & getting Zika virus as we want to try for another baby. Luckily neither of us got bitten, I am 100% sure of this - we would know right?
We used tons of jungle formula spray & plug-ins & it seems to have worked. So no mozzy bites means we're safe to start trying again right?
Nhs says my husband needs to wait 6 months (me 8 weeks) but I presume that only means if you've been bitten?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this 😊

[fassbendersmistress]

No, wait. I've friends waiting to start IVF and the clinic won't treat them until,the 6 months have passed despite no obvious bites. Surely not worth the risk or months of worry...

[HbH]

We went to Thailand on honeymoon, i didn't get bitten (we took huge precautions like you!) and DH got one bite. We decided to get privately tested once back (21 days afer exposure) and they said you don't always know if you've been bitten cos they may not always react.

Anyway, we got the all clear & BFP soon after.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2892971-Ttc-Thailand-Zika-Virus-No-baby?noti=1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WatchedThreadNotification&utm_content=WatchedThreadNotification+ID_6555a97d-36be-430d-afc9-4fd402823fe9&utm_source=newsletters&utm_term=Where%20did%20those%20tiny%20red%20insects%20go

Here's the link to a previous zika thread which has some good info here and there!

[Chacesmommy]

Thanks for the advice, we will go for private testing. Really don't want to wait 6 months as time is of the essence for us.

[powerpuffer]

Definitely private testing, you can be bitten and no react to the mosquito saliva so not see obvious bites, and some can just look like regular spots. Definitely not worth the risk!

[HbH]

Haha power we're the zika rangers!

[arbrighton]

Don't put yourself into the situation of having to go for growth scans and hope that all turns out ok.
My risk of exposure was really small, in Singapore, but waiting to check there are no problems is tough

[powerpuffer]

@HbH I was rather pleased to see my post quoted in the Mumsnet Zika info page!

I think we need a cape, moto and theme tune

[Chacesmommy]

Thank-you all! I'm booking tests for us both on Monday! Wish us luck! 🙏🍀

[Rowsers]

Hi I just want to add to this because I think people need to be careful about taking advice on here rather than the official guidelines. We are having IVF and the clinic will not accept these blood tests and have insisted we wait 6 months. The reason being is that the latest research has showed that a man can unknowingly have Zika (80% of people don't know they have it) and it has been found in men's semen up to 6 months after exposure...testing blood and urine does not check a mans semen. It's likely that if it's in your semen, it's in your blood but nobody knows for sure how long it lingers in different bodily secretions that's why you will not find anywhere it's saying these blood tests are 100%. It's all a personal choice, I'm just telling you what a consultant told me. I'm having to wait, which is awful but not as awful as thinking my baby might have brain damage.