Just found out I'm pregnant after trip to Maldives

[Minniemee]

Hi there,

Wondering if anyone could shed any advice/ their own stories on this.

My and my partner went to the Maldives in October for our 30th birthdays, and we have just found out this week that I am 4 weeks pregnant. (4th Nov was my LMP). This wasn't planned but obviously we are in a place where we want children so a happy surprise as I suffer with severe endometriosis and thought it would take many years.

However we now have the fear regarding Zika virus as the Maldives is one of the 'at risk' countries- we went straight to the doctors on Friday who dismissed it and said 'is Zika even around anymore?!' But then said she would speak to the nurse and get back to me. This put our minds at rest until she called back today to say that the nurse had told her about the 3 month rule for trying that conceive after returning from a Zika area. She has told us that she will contact the obstetrician and If we don't hear anything, assume all is ok. But I'm out of my mind with worry now, I can't have a midwife appointment until the end of January.

Please could anyone offer any advice about what to do??

Thanks

There’s nothing really you can do hun, all I can say is I was a cabin crew member when I got pregnant and was travelling to:
India
Florida
Cuba
All ‘high risk’ areas and I didn’t even know I was pg.
I was probably a lot more exposed I just explained to the midwife when I found out and they did some extra checks and everything was fine.
As far as being able to do anything there isn’t anything you can do lovely just try and remain calm and enjoy your pregnancy until you can get into the midwife xx

As pp has said nothing really you can do.. Your already pregnant now so will just have wait and see what they say.. Congratulations on your pregnancy.

travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/139/maldives#Other_risks

I wouldn't get super anxious but Maldive it's still a country at risk and your GP should have searched for it. Let your midwife know at your booking appointment as it's an important information.

@Lulufluff if you don't mind me asking, what sort of checks did they do? Did your midwife seem concerned when you explained the situation?

I've been reading up on it so much today and from all I can see, it seems to be a 'watch and wait' until the 20 week mark where they will scan and see if there are any abnormalities.. I don't think I could wait until then as what then happens if something is wrong.

The worst thing is, I can't get a midwife appointment until the middle of January when I'll be 12 weeks pregnant to even be able to tell them. It would break my heart but would a termination be the safest option as of the unknown?

No she wasn’t concerned at all, all they do is just monitor the weight/growth a little more closely but I wouldn’t worry too much.
I know easier said than done.. but I have been in your situation entirely both of my gp and midwife both said it’s unlikely anything could be contracted but I was in ZIKA risk countries twice a week and was bitten by mosquitos.
I feel for you having to wait but not much else you can do? Unless you speak to docs again and explain your anxieties xx

I got pregnant a month after returning from a week in the Caribbean (also a Zika "risk") - had an extra scan at 30 weeks to check growth but otherwise nobody seemed remotely concerned, which I found reassuring.

If it helps, the risk is teeny tiny. The Maldives isn't "high" risk, and even in countries where there is a risk, it's a small number of people who will actually contract the virus, and an even smaller number of people who will have pregnancies or babies affected. Think of all the hundreds of thousands of babies that will have been born in those countries since the outbreak with no problems.

You'll almost certainly be at greater risk of your baby having a completely unrelated disability that wouldn't be picked up until the 20 week scan, but you wouldn't terminate every pregnancy based on that minuscule risk.

I had my honeymoon in the Maldives in July. I went knowing I was about 5 weeks pregnant. (We were told the pregnancy was not viable) Anyway, long story short - she was viable and I am now 25 weeks!

I got bitten a few times whilst we were away and I was worried sick about zika. I told my midwife and my Obstetrician at my booking appointment and subsequent appointments. They did not seem at all bothered or concerned but said they may add in an extra scan at 28 weeks.

That was until my baby was scanned at 20 weeks. She’s absolutely tiny with a tiny HC. They are now taking notice about the Zika, but again they can’t actually do anything but watch growth over the coming weeks.

You can see my freak out post somewhere down the threads...

I don’t want to make you concerned, because really they aren’t overly worried about Zika in particular. The risks are TINY and they have only re- highlighted it with me because of her size. All the people I’ve have seen have poo-pooed the Maldives saying it’s actually okay... (despite being on the list).

Please try and relax and enjoy the pregnancy! Congratulations

Congratulations! I went to the Maldives last year and on return home, we decided to start TTC as neither of us had any bites whatsoever so therefore would not have contracted the Zika virus. The symptoms are mild, I think described as feeling like a mild flu, have either of you noticed any bites or felt unwell? If not, I would say you should be fine

You would have had to contract Zika yourself to pass it on. It would be a generalised rash all over plus temperature.

I had the same situation after returning from Mexico and my go called a microbiologist to find out what to do.

I got an extra scan but it was all fine.

Thank you so much for all your advice- our doctor is useless as she said first time that Zika isn't even a thing anymore (this was Friday) and made us feel silly for even asking about it, so it felt like a huge relief ; Friday night we really celebrated (DH even bought me some 0.0% alcohol champagne bless him) and then today I got a phone call off the same dr to say she spoke to the nurse who said the Maldives is actually a risk and we should have waited until 3 months and that she was going to contact the obstetrician for more help. In her words 'if you don't hear from me assume you don't need to do anything' which just isn't reassuring.

It's great to hear so many of you having happy healthy babies and @Marmitepeanutbutterandhoney I'm so sorry to hear you are going through the mill at the moment with your little girl- I'm praying everything is ok for you! Do they think it's related to Zika?

In terms of symptoms, I had a cold when I got home (snotty nose and a bad cough but didn't have a rash or flu fever etc) which I assume is more from the plane etc, but I've heard many people don't have symptoms?

There's no way I can wait until the end of January to speak to the midwife at my booking appointment so I'm considering booking a private GP appointment tomorrow so at least I can talk it through. After my Endometriosis journey we just want this baby to be healthy more than anything as we thought it could be something we would never get to have xx

The risk is SO tiny of contracting Zika virus (with no symptoms), then passed it on as well. I would just avoid unprotected sex with your OH for the next few months.

The Maldives resorts also tend to be well fumigated as they use industrial repellent in the resort daily, therefore the chances of infected mosquitoes even being in the resorts is tiny to be begin with. The risk in the Maldives is mainly on the local habited islands without any resorts.

I dont think a private GP will do much. There are blood tests you can have done at private infectious disease clinics (theres a few on Harley St if you're close to London) to look for certain strains in your blood. They are not 100% accurate but it may give you some peace of mind.

Just think of all the women who live in at-risk countries like Singapore (including expats)- they have babies everyday and the number of infected babies is miniscule.

I know its really hard and the worry wont go away but try to take solace in that it is very unlikely the baby will be affected.

Hi all

I've read this thread with interest.

I'm in a quandary - my partner and I have seen an amazing deal to the Maldives in June. But when I went to book the obligatory warning from the holiday company flashed up. Now i find most of the top destinations carry a warning for zika.

We are not pregnant but are ttc since 2 weeks ago.

Reading your thread I'm inclined to book the trip anyway. There are risks but there is no guarantee I will be carrying then anyway.

Do you agree?

@Yorkshirelass04 we ended up having a private blood test each (myself and my OH) to test whether we had any Zika antibodies which would mean if we did we had caught the disease. Luckily both came back negative so we are in the clear. It would have been awful to have needed to wait until the 20 week scan to find out if we had caught it and if baby had been infected.

I'll be honest that for us the worry completely enveloped the excitement for the first three weeks after we had found out - I never want to put myself in that position again but I am a huge worrier anyway. We found it very hard to find any real clear up to date info relating to Zika in the Maldives; some say it is inactive now, some say cases aren't always reported. I think it's a decision only you can make and if you do decide to go, just take deet with you and make sure you take precautions to not get bitten. X

@Minniemee I'm so pleased to hear that you weren't at risk after all. Must have been a huge relief!! I might speak to my doctor for another opinion on my situation. It seems weird to not travel to somewhere I've always wanted to go just in case I'm pregnant.

@Yorkshirelass04 thank you!! And yes all that said, the Maldives is absolutely stunning! I would say see your travel nurse at the GP surgery (the one who does the travel vaccinations etc) for advice as they're much more up to date with things than the GP seems to be!

I found out I was pregnant while travelling in the Caribbean at the height of the zika problem around 2016. Got bitten by mosquitoes while there and also had a bit of a cold with temperature. When I got home at 6-7 weeks my GP (in Ireland) took bloods and sent them off for testing for Zika. All came back fine. This seemed to be the standard procedure at the time and was quick and effortless. Maybe you can query if they can do blood tests?

@Marmitepeanutbutterandhoney
I’m sorry to hear about your experience. Was this confirmed as being linked to Zika? I hope it all ended up okay?