Zika virus

[lauren12344]

Hi,

I have posted on this forum before regarding the Zika virus.

I have been reading about new studies that show that zika is unlikely to live in as long as previously thought.

I was wondering if anyone else had any thoughts on this and if being exposed to the risk of zika had interrupted any one else's plans to TTC.

Thank you x

We honeymooned in South America and waited 6 months to TTC. It felt like it would be a lifetime but it went quickly. If you didn’t you’d be worrying for any pregnancy despite the risk being low. My friends sister thought it was only 6 week wait, got pregnant then was worried constantly as baby’s head was measuring small!

I’m a scientist.

There is absolutely no way I’d be TTC if I’d been in a zika area for at least 6m. At least. If I was planning on ttc and hadn’t travelled yet I’d cancel, without doubt.

We don’t have anywhere near enough data on persistence in immune privileged tissues like testis to say with confidence that x amount of time is ok.

Thanks both! I appreciate you taking your time to reply.

We don't intend to try before October (that will be 6 months after our return from Cuba) but I wanted to get peoples takes on it.

Waiting a few more months is a small price to pay definitely! The only thing concerning me is My daughter is starting school next September and I didnt really want to have another one at the same time she starts full time education.. I feel like she may feel like she's being kicked out the way to allow for a new baby!

Probably over thinking it!! X

we went to Jamaica in January and mentioned this at my 8 week appointment they said if I had no symptoms then it’s absolutely fine!!! So they didn’t seem bothered at all!! :)

Thanks Rose2287. Can I ask where you live? The advice seems to be really different depending on area! What one person is told not to worry about, another person is really concerned about!

Congratulations on your pregnancy :) x

Hey @lauren12344 I live in the uk (east) I’m sure they wouldn’t say it was okay if it wasn’t :) xx

I am also in the UK and the doctor and nurse were both quite forcefully advocating against getting pregnant for 6 months. Probably best if you make an appointment with your own GP/nurse.

Once pregnant, there isn't anything to do but be reassuring (pregnancy is worrying enough, I hear). It's quite different to planning to become pregnant after the higher risk though... my fertility clinic asks me about travel every time I go and threatened to put off treatment if we went anywhere zika.

Should I be concerned? Nobody seems worried my end :/ xx

We decided to wait 6 months after our return from Mexico. To me it just wasn't worth the hassle of constantly worrying throughout the pregnancy, be worried enough as it is.
As pp said, sounded like ages to wait but it flew by. I did have an error in that time and took the map, didn't exactly want to but saw two nurses and both were quite adamant that nhs guidance is to wait 6 months and to take it.

we went to Jamaica in January and mentioned this at my 8 week appointment they said if I had no symptoms then it’s absolutely fine!!! So they didn’t seem bothered at all!!

Hopefully you will be fine. Please don’t take any of the rest of this post as anything to panic over.

The advice was I suppose pragmatic. There is nothing you can do if you are pregnant so it is a case of wait and see, and any scans should pick up major issues.

It’s not true however that no symptoms = no infection. A large proportion of zika infections don’t produce any symptoms at all and the symptoms if they do appear can range from extremely mild to debilitating. The antibody blood tests aren’t 100% accurate so the only thing you can say to a pregnant patient is ‘you’re probably ok’ because they probably are and you don’t want to give them cause to be anxious.

However if you were counselling someone who wasn’t pregnant you’d definitely advise them to wait.