TTC & Zika virus??

[Johnsa37]

Hi ladies!

My husband and I were planning on starting to TTC in May 2017, right after we return from a trip to the U.S. and British Virgin Islands! My mom mentioned something about the Zika virus to me today, and I panicked. I haven't heard much about it lately, so I did some quick research online. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), women are supposed to wait 8 weeks before trying to get pregnant after traveling to a Zika area, and men are supposed to wait 6 months!!!! I am super sad. I have a call into my doctor, but I am just curious if anyone else has encountered this issue?? What happened? Did you get tested? Did you wait the 6 months? I really don't want to wait another 6 months after May, but obviously I would if we have to - I would never risk the health of my child. From what I read, they don't do Zika tests on couples that are just wanting to conceive.

Ugh, I'm super depressed now... we were getting excited to start planning toward a larger family....

 

[sarah2211]

We didn't wait but I also didn't fall pregnant within that window. My husband went and I didn't. My fertility specialist said it's probably find to fall pregnant but if you are already pregnant and come into contact it can be bad news.

 

[AmberR]

We went to Mexico in April and started trying in August. At that time I believe the recommendation I found said to wait 3 months. Although we did not fall pregnant during the 6 months time frame either. I have also heard they do not test for the zika virus unless you have symptoms, although I remember reading that you can apparently have it without symptoms? I think I would go with what your doctor advises.

 

[Johnsa37]

My doctor said to wait 6 months before trying. It's the man's sperm that carries the virus longer, so if only the woman was exposed, then you only have to wait 8 weeks.

Another doctor friend told me to just go to the doctor when I get back and tell them that I have flu symptoms, and that they would test me for Zika virus. Although I think my husband and I would both have to get tested...

 

[Johnsa37]

Oh, and not only do you have to wait 6 months, but you also have to use a condom for 6 months. No unprotected sex. And no contact with the male's sperm. Do people do this????

 

[Cppeace]

The Zika virus is an exaggerated scare tactic to push a vaccine. It's been around decades and only in the last year cause real concern.

 

[Starkette]

I'm with Cppeace. I've never thought it was a threat or an issue. I see the microsephaly coming from a push in TDaP on pregnant women in the affected areas even though TDaP had never been tested on pregnant women because it would be unethical. Crazy right? But it's also listed on the insert as a possible side effect...so...just don't get the TDaP while preggo. 😊

But do what you're comfortable with. I personally wouldn't even see it as a roadblock. But if it makes you uncomfortable then stop trying, but based on what I've seen, there's really no evidence that zika has any real effect on babies...it's just a theory and a guess.

 

[Johnsa37]

Thanks for your thoughts. I am pretty skeptical about these recommendations, but I'm just not sure if I am comfortable taking the risk at this point. I'm not knowledgeable enough. I'll have to do some more research and think about it. I do think waiting 6 months is crazy, though! And condoms?!?

 

[lisap2008]

Please read up on the recent information of the Zika virus its not a scare tactic to try and push a vaccine, its real and Zika virus infection during pregnancy has been causing an alarming number of babies born with birth defects specifically microcephaly, your doctor can test you for the virus ,and if it comes back positive for you or your partner to be on the safe side , you must use protection for 6 month to avoid a surprise pregnancy that would have a risk of birth defects. https://www.cdc.gov/zika/healtheffects/birth_defects.html

 

[happycupcake]

Hm this is difficult because I can see your concern but at the same time there will always be this and that virus and risk, you can't escape it completely. I'm inclined to go with what your friend said about saying you have symptoms, and your other half too, then hopefully you could both be tested to rule it out and therefore continue your plan with ttc. I haven't read anywhere that men can't get symptoms, all I have read is that it's usually symptomless but there can be symptoms

 

[sarah2211]

We didn't use condoms and we were actively trying. Unfortunately I wasn't ovulating so it was all in vain really. But we didn't think the chance of it happening was very high.

 

[broodymrs]

I wouldn't risk it. We purposefully avoided any at risk areas while ttc and pregnant for holidays. Just not worth the risk imo. If you don't want to delay ttc can you change your holiday to a different destination?

I also get the whooping cough (tdap) vaccine while pregnant. I don't like doing it but not worth risking my baby's life (referring to pp's point). TBH like another pp said you'd be best researching this stuff through reputable sources (CDC etc)

 

[Johnsa37]

I looked into switching destinations, but we really wanted to go on this trip before having baby #2. That was the point of the trip, and we actually already moved it up from September 2017. There aren't many (any?) tropical locations that aren't on the Zika list!!!

 

[Irishdream]

I'm totally with you and totally nervous. We were planning for Mexico for July, right in the window of starting to try, and now I'm really freaking out about it. One thing I did read, however, is that the CDC now has it as a dangerous disease and no longer a global health pandemic. Idk what difference that makes for us, though
Another thing I'm thinking is that Zika is also in the U.S., so I'm not necessarily protected here either. Idk whether to be paranoid and not go or to say the heck with it and just make sure we are both crazy OCD with bug spray.

 

[TTCfirstovr30]

My DH and I had a trip to Mexico planned for over a year, when we fell pregnant my OB said absolutely no way could we go. We had to cancel the trip and went to Hawaii instead.

Even though I know you are not pregnant yet, I would give yourself some peace of mind and go somewhere else that doesn't have Zika otherwise you will just be worrying the entire time and there is already so many things we women worry about once pregnant/TTC you can actually control this.

I am with lisap2008, it is real and not a scare tactic.

 

[Johnsa37]

Well, since creating this post, we decided to postpone our trip to St. John. There were a few other factors, but we definitely did not want to put off TTC for another 6 months. And the birth defect risk is too terrible to risk contracting Zika. I stopped BCP and we are TTC now

I have many friends who are going to Mexico, Caribbean, etc. and are TTC. They either don't know about the risks or figure that it would never happen to them. I tried to talk to them about it, but they just said they will use a lot of big spray... It hasn't really been in the news lately, so I think people forget about it.

Thanks for your input ladies!