Zika virus

[Eledamorena]

Anyone got any advice re attempting to conceive in a zika virus region?

I've read all the material I can online but everything says just don't travel to a zika region... but we LIVE in a zika region and would very much like to try for another baby.

We could get tested and if we are currently carrying it, would be advised not to have unprotected sex for 3 months. But the test won't show if we've already had it (and current info suggest if you've had it, you're probably immune). And of course we could catch it at any point during pregnancy, however careful we are.

I am aware of the risks of catching it while pregnant but didn't realise that a baby could be born seemingly healthy and then develop problems relating to zika... I thought a scan would show any issues.

Does anyone have any experience or advice? Obviously lots of women here are having babies, and actually zika has been a risk for a long time in much of the world, it just came to everyone's attention when it hit more of the developed world e.g. US.

Not sure what I'm asking really... just seeking reassurance maybe?!

I've just left a zika country. I'm due in a day or two. Nobody ever mentioned it to me while I was there and to be honest I didn't even think about it until I started to read threads on here. So I don't know if that means I'm a bit slack in my research or the risk is super low. My obgyn certainly never raised it as a question. Not much help but I understand where you're coming from. I'm not worried now though - I mean there's sod all I can do about it at this stage.

Lots of babies born where I lived in a zika hotspot, no worries, people just get on with their lives. I would suggest waiting until the winter to concieve, if it's your winter now, I don't know. But Zika hasn't stopped babies coming. Out of the 20 newborns I knew in 2018-2019 none were affected and when I say Zika hotspot, it's really a Zika hotspot. I even got Zika.

Thanks both. I know I am perhaps being overcautious... I already have two healthy children and feel like trying for a third might be tempting fate. But I'm a teacher surrounded by hundreds of kids every day, most of whom were born in a zika region, and all are fine.

We're in Bangkok so it is a hotspot. We might well already have had it... most people don't show symptoms and those that do tend to have a cold, red eye, diarrhoea (sp?), general being under the weather... all of which are entirely normal here!

I spoke to a friend at work who conceived (accidentally) in Bangkok at the height of all the media hype about zika. She's American and it was big news over there, too. She said she was worried but that's her nature, it was an unplanned pregnancy etc... she says she would probably have been a nervous wreck wherever she was! I tend to be quite laidback so I'm surprised this is on my mind.

Anyway, thanks again for taking the time to reply!