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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Zico virous

27 replies

MG35 · 01/01/2017 22:23

Hi thinking about trying for baby following our wedding (october 2017) which is in a zico virous affected country therefore we have been advised by GP to use contraception until after this time.

Anyone been to a zico affected country recently and had advice on TTC?

I've read different things about how long you should wait?

OP posts:
ScottishLady7 · 01/01/2017 22:40

Wait until six months after you leave the Zika virus area.
If it was just you going, the advice is wait 3 months I think but it could be passed to you in your OH's semen so since he will be going too you need to wait the six months.

Original poster
MG35 · 01/01/2017 23:08

Thanks, Absolutely gutted as my clock is ticking (ill be 37) and it took 3 years to concieve babba number 1.

OP posts:
teaping · 01/01/2017 23:16

I'm getting married in may and although I don't know where our honeymoon is (OH is organising) I do know it's a zika-risk country. So unfortunately that means we'll have to hold off TTC until at least November. However; hopefully that means I can come off the pill after the wedding (after 15+ years on it!) and have a few months for my cycle to come back and settle down (hopefully!!) before we TTC.

Original poster
MG35 · 01/01/2017 23:40

That's also my concern as I'm on the pill its an additional time add on for TTC.

Good luck with the wedding and babaydancing post November xx

OP posts:
helenharry · 02/01/2017 00:02

Different countries are at different levels of risk look on world health organisation website for info, this is were our doctors told us they get their travel advice from regarding it.

powerpuffer · 02/01/2017 00:13

We went to a Zika country and paid for a private blood test when we returned which was turned around in 24 hours and showed we were both negative.

Expensive, yes, but there is so much uncertainty with Zika that if I got pregnant even after 6 months of abstaining, I would still be worrying. It was totally worth it for the peace of mind.

teaping · 03/01/2017 09:58

Powerpuffer do you mind me asking how much you paid?

I don't suppose my OH will be prepared to have a blood test (irrational, extreme fear of needles, sigh) but I could ask. Otherwise we can't start TTC until at least November.

powerpuffer · 04/01/2017 16:21

We went to The London Doctors Clinic, it think it was about £300 for us both. They said results would take 10 days but they were there the next day! Fabulous staff and the cheapest we could find and they had loads of info online. I got bitten when we were away and had a cold like illness when we returned so I'm so glad we checked otherwise I would have worried constantly. I would recommend.

Saz909 · 04/01/2017 19:09

We also travelled to a zika zone, returning in Nov. The advice I read before we left was wait 6 months for a man showing symptoms, 28 days if not. We had no symptoms but did get bitten.

I have since found out that the new advice is 6 months regardless of whether you have symptoms because 80% of people don't have symptoms!

After enquiring with a private clinic, they said it is not recommended for couples who are ttc to be tested as it can produce a falsely reassuring negative - if the virus has left the blood but is still in semen or the virus is in the blood too early for antibodies to show.

We have decided just to wait the 6 months! Hope this helps

PotteringAlong · 04/01/2017 19:13

Either wait or cancel the wedding. And be prepared that if you get married in a zika area plenty of your guests who may be conceiving / pregnant / have young children may decline.

BendydickCuminsnatch · 04/01/2017 19:18

Yes me and DH have just had Zika antibody tests to check it was OK to TTC. I thought I'd done my research before our holiday (Dominican Republic) - thought we had to wait 6 weeks after returning to TTC, and thought Dom Rep was low risk... Turns out it's high risk and because DH went we had to wait 6 months - virus lives longer in men, had I gone on my own we'd only have had to wait 6 weeks.
Luckily results were neg so we can TTC - but after the doc took my blood she said - "it's fine though because if you get pregnant, they'll just test you on the NHS and then if it's positive you can decide what to do then"... terrible!

BendydickCuminsnatch · 04/01/2017 19:19

Wow PowerPuffer basically said the same way more succinctly than I did! Grin

girlelephant · 04/01/2017 19:31

Agree it's a 6 month wait from return date before TTC. Remember not everyone shows symptoms

Original poster
MG35 · 04/01/2017 19:36

We're going to wait the 6 months more time to save for mat leave I suppose

OP posts:
HbH04 · 04/01/2017 22:25

We're off to Thailand on honeymoon next week & only found out it had Zika when I went for the jabs... So wanted a honeymoon baby :(

Plan A: don't get bit!

& if this (highly likely) doesn't work was thinking of a blood test to rule out...

Would you recommend powerpuff / bendy

I can't spare 6 months!!

Original poster
MG35 · 04/01/2017 22:44

Hbh04 I too want the honeymoon baby and at 37 at wedding i dont have 6 months to spare but not willing to take the risk. I would apeak to your Gp for advice.

OP posts:
HbH04 · 04/01/2017 22:53

Annoyingly the nurse at the travel clinic told me to google it Shock but that's a minefield!!

I'm sure the GP will say 6 months to be on the safe side.

powerpuffer · 04/01/2017 23:21

NHS advice is wait 6 months. You can display no symptoms at all - some bites look just like spots. It's just not worth the risk. My GP was hopeless - didn't have a clue and just told me to Google.

At the private clinic they were very clued up. Their website details the two types of tests available and we had the one which was available 3 weeks after our return as it was more accurate. We got negative results on the day I was due to ovulate so we didn't miss any TTC time aside from actively trying on honeymoon. I would definitely recommend it, we are on month 4 of TTC and if I had to wait 6 months before this we'd be almost a year down the line which is not ideal for us.

HbH04 · 05/01/2017 07:22

Thanks power really good to know there are options... I've almost been resenting going due to the zika worries/TTC (which is ridiculous when it's my honeymoon)

FX you get your BFP soon x

Lweji · 05/01/2017 07:42

Right. Don't panic yet.

Take high grade insect repellent (40% DEET - look for Jungle Formula). Remember to use it regularly and to cover all exposed skin, but also under some clothes.

Look exactly what are the risk areas in the country will go to.
Check what the risk is for the time of year.

In any case, get proper travel advice from an expert travel clinic (not your GP's who look at the same leaflets that they hand you).
Check the Hospital for Tropical Diseases site.

powerpuffer · 05/01/2017 18:34

HbH04 I know the feeling. It was our honeymoon too and I felt the same. In the end we agreed that we'd treat the cost of the blood test as part of the honeymoon and not worry - what will be will be and although we'd use Deet, cover up etc, if we got bitten we wouldn't worry as there's not much you can do about it and it's too late to worry. It was a relief to know that and when I got a bite, I knew there wasn't anything else I could have done to help avoid it so I just relaxed. It caused me no end of worry before we went though, I was obsessively checking reports of Zika in the area.

I hope all goes well with you, it's a horrible thing to have to think about at such a special time.

HbH04 · 05/01/2017 20:56

Aw thanks power

I was super excited when we booked a couple of months ago, but have done nothing but worry ever since but now I know about the test I've been able breathe a sigh of relief! Obviously we'll do everything in our power not to get bitten but we'll enjoy ourselves and know we have options once we're home!

Anaconda33 · 14/01/2017 16:54

Hi all

We are just back from Thailand and had been advised was fine to TTC in eight weeks - now 6 months. I'm totally totally sad, good to fine fellow people in same boat. Would never have gone if had know advice had changed - Ive wanted a baby for years and DP agreed after 5 years together in October we could try!

Were the private tests £300 each or for both? Am v low on cash but had heard were £600. Were they quite reassuring on what the result meant?

Thanks so much for help and advice

powerpuffer · 14/01/2017 17:09

Yes, they were very reassuring. The cost was £327 in total - £136 each for the blood test and then £55 for a joint appointment to take the blood. The results were emailed over 24 hours later but we were told it could take 10 days. I was very impressed and thought it was a small price to pay for reassurance. I'm lucky that we both work in London so it was easy to arrange and weirdly, the cheapest place we could find.

Anaconda33 · 14/01/2017 17:56

Thanks so much

We are OK to wait 8 weeks - so may get Boyfriend only tested as women are OK post 8 weeks. Although may be tempted to test self and persuade the boyfriend to get cracking haha!

Also in London so similarly easy - am going to credit card it for the peace of mind

Neither of us got bitten but am so anxious about it and was absolutely gutted (sorry for exaggeration but hopefully those TTC will understand) when reading again this week saw the 6 months for men rule. I'm 34 so can't keep waiting and am so so wanting a baby

Good luck and thanks so much for replying so soon - I hope you get pregnant super quick