Zika and conceiving

[MSG92]

My husband is in the Army and is going away in May for 6 months, we have been planning to conceive for over a year, buying a new house which we are moving into in about 6 weeks, got a better job etc all in preparation for a baby. We thought we'd go on a nice relaxing holiday for 2 weeks before he goes, being pregnant when he's away means he won't miss birth etc so perfect timing.

Found out last week the countries we are going to have zika virus! Wasn't mentioned when we were booking. We are going on a cruise--Grand Cayman Islands, Panama, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Colombia and Florida, only in each place for 1 day (8 hours ish) apart from Florida 4 days. This has ruined everything!!! I tried to change destinations but they will only let us if I am already pregnant, can't do that otherwise he won't be back for the birth.

We desperately don't want to wait, because he is going to zika countries as well so earliest we'd be able to try is next March-June (3-6 months after he returns), when you've been waiting a long time this adds so much more time!

What do people advise? Would really appreciate a GP and scientist opinion as well as other people in similar positions. We figured we will do our best to not get bitten by covering up and using repellent, both have blood tests then if clear start trying 4 weeks after we're back, I know it may not happen but I'd feel better if we at least got to try and get pregnant before he goes. I've read the test is 97% accurate and zika can live in sperm longer than blood, so what if he (sorry to be crude) ejaculates a lot before we start trying as well, will that help?

As I said we will only even consider this if we don't get bitten and the blood tests are clear.

I did think that but you may as well not go at all

@MSG92 it comes across like you just want people to agree that you'll be fine to start TTC straight away and everything should be fine?

You have a few choices - go and start TTC and hope for the best. Go but wait 13 months to TTC. Don't go.

I had this choice myself a couple of years ago, but only YOU can decide whether it's worth the risk. Don't forget that if you risk it and the test comes back positive you have to decide how to deal with that.

Yes, that is something I would have to deal with if it came up.

I just keep flitting between go and see if I get bitten if not tests and if clear try and just wait! I keep deciding on 1 of them then reconsidering the other and switching back and forth!

Thanks @Kinsters yes they are worse at dawn and dusk, we didn't get bitten on our last cruise, I did on holiday last year but that wasn't a cruise. But you know it would be typical when you CAN'T get bitten you do!

We would only TTC if we weren't bitten and results are negative, if we get bitten we wouldn't even bother with blood tests

Definitely go back to Virgin and politely push to have your holiday at another destination. Take it further up the chain if they are unwilling to help.

MSG92 yes, guaranteed bites always happen at the worst time. I was pregnant last year and was so tasty to mosquitos, I tried my best not to get bitten but it was impossible. I think my smell must have changed because I usually hardly get any. I did end up miscarrying and sometimes wonder if it was related to any of the bites but try not to dwell on it.

You should definitely keep pushing with Virgin but if you don't get anywhere then just try and enjoy your holiday and not worry too much.

Did you purchase insurance through virgin too?

Although I think travel like this is an at own risk type venture. Virgin have no obligation to tell you it’s a Zika area, you’re expected to check travel advice with the FCO before travelling (and if your DH is forces he should be doing that anyway for other reasons).

Zika mosquitoes usually bite during the day, rather than dawn/dusk.

Glad I've read this. I'm going away in the summer to Zika places and was thinking of going when I may have conceived. Can you not try for a time afterwards then. Goes to google

Littlecloudling no you aren't supposed to conceive for 2 months after if just the female travels or 3 months for male or both travelling, as a minimum and that's if you didn't get it.

I am currently coming to the end of our 6 month qurantine. Im also a nurse.

I hunted and hunted for evidence that we didn't need to wait, there is none. The CDC in America (even though they have now reduced their advice to 3 months) and public health England say 6 months for men.

Not seeing a visible bite doesn't mean a moz didn't get you.

The NHS won't give you the tests unless you have symptoms and it was hundreds of pounds private. It also has a high false negatives risk( about 67 percent) so it's just not worth it.

Sorry, I know how much you don't want to hear it, I didn't either. But it's choose the holiday or a baby. I really wouldn't take the risk.

Also it's 6 months for men on NHS guidelines.

McHelenz, thank you. NHS says 3 months www.nhs.uk/conditions/zika/

And I can't find anything about the blood test being that unreliable, I found 3 in every 100 carry a risk of false negative www.medichecks.com/zika-virus-tests/zika-virus-blood-test-flavivirus

I read that it's because of dengue fever etc that it can show up positive for zika when it's another illness as they are carried by the same mosquito, I don't mind the risk of a false positive, the false negative is apparently 1 in 3.i spoke with a nurse from Nuffield about IUI and she advised me to get the blood test as she thought it was accurate. We can get the blood test for around £300 for both of us, definitely worth the money if its 97% reliability. We are going to check each other daily for bites.

If you have a link to where you got any of your stats about the blood test being so unreliable I'd appreciate it, I want to collect all evidence good or bad.

OP, why don’t you go on the cruise but not get off at the ports? Plenty to do on the boat. You can just stay indoors on port days if you’re worried but the mosquito that carries Zika cannot fly far at all, so is unlikely to reach the boat if you do go outdoors. You can wear picaridin based repellent and long sleeves if you’re particularly concerned.

Mistake in my post!!! Not 1 in 3 but 3 in 100!!!^^

That's good,theyve updated recently because I looked at travel health last week and it was still 6.

I'll try and find that info. But in my opinion it's just not worth the money.

However from reading your post you say you're not going to cancel the holiday (I'd check your paper work, when we went to Mexico we were warned multiple times at booking and it was in the booking paperwork. If you weren't told you could try to go down that one but i think no we are two years on they'll expect people to know and just change for pregnant people.)

If you're not willing to wait afterwards then id do the blood test but you're obviously taking a risk. IUI will be ridiculously expensive, and I think a bit of a jump really.

My understanding was also false negative results were very low, not in work today or I would try to get stats, £96 per person and use TDL labs, 6 month wait period for men if they opt out of testing and testing can be done 4 weeks after returning

Thanks both, it's not so much not willing to wait, its that we really don't want to, we will if we have to. That's why I'm interested in your info as I said, I want both sides, positive and negative. I guess we're just being optimistic in if we can use 50% DEET, wrist bands, we are only going to 1 high risk Place which as I said because its a cruise we will only be on land for hours in each place, if we don't get bitten AND negative results that we should be safe... If we get bitten at all we won't bother having tests or trying. And I think we can stretch to 5.5 weeks from last exposure to try

I mean the risk of Zika from a bite is 0.1 or 0.01 I think, so you would probably be right in what you're saying.

However I work with children with complex health problems and I couldn't take that risk.

We have decided to use the time to save money and do a bit of decorating. So it's been useful to wait 😊

Perfect for you. I think for us it's more use the time I'm pregnant for saving and decorating as husband will be away for 6 months, so he'll be saving loads of money and it will make time go faster for me and he'll be home for due date and isn't likely to be deployed for at least 18 months once he's back, if I'm pregnant when he's home, 9 months of it he won't get to see a baby just put up with me. I've just looked at my ovulation calendar and the maximum time we can wait once back is actually 7.5 weeks, and that is when I am ovulating so increased chances. I think we'll just see how the holiday goes, be careful and go from there.

9 months of it he won't get to see a baby just put up with me. *

Why on Earth are you two contemplating having a baby together? A distraction? Company for you when he's not there?

Neither of you want to put a healthy conception and pregnancy before a holiday. You are worried he'll resent you if he can't go on the holiday and if you don't have a baby to show him like a trophy, at the correct time, he'll just have to 'put up with you'??!!

No that us not what I am saying, I would rather him be around for 9 months of the babies life than me being pregnant, in a perfect world he would be around for both, but his job means he goes away for a significant amount of time every few years which is why timing is so crucial for us.

And yes, I've heard people are emotional and have mood changes when they are pregnant so out of 9 months with a new baby or 9 months with me pregnant we both pick the 1st option.. Him being away is a sacrifice but I'd rather sacrifice having him around during pregnancy than when the baby is here

You're also assuming you're going to go wham bam pregnant. Babies don't always go to plan
Trust me, you might think I dont but I know how you feel, I've had many a night in tears over the waiting.

However I would really think about your babies health with trying after the holiday just because it fits in your schedule.

Hi McHelenz, I am aware it might not happen, what I want is at least the opportunity to try, if it doesn't work it doesn't work, but I would at the least like to give it a shot that's all

I'm just saying, as a health professional, really really way up if it's worth it. Good luck.

Thanks McHelenz. I do appreciate it, and understand. We're going to go on the holiday and take it from there. If we don't get bitten (we will check each other daily) we'll go to London for the consultation and blood test, possibly the semen test for my husband, we'll see which one the consultant thinks is more accurate. If those are both negative, wait 7 weeks and try, possibly! Probably get bitten on the 1st day now!

I believe in fate, if we're meant to have a baby now, it will work out, if not, it's not meant to yet. I keep seeing so many pregnant people, TV shows etc, it's like signs everywhere! Driving me mad and making me jealous haha