Zika and Mexico

[bethann3181]

We have a trip booked to Riviera Maya in December, and were also talking about TTC in the next month or so. I’ve read conflicting things about TTC and Zika. Some that worry me and some that makes it all seem like a scare tactic. Plus, all the women is FL, TX, Mexico and the Caribbean aren’t not having babies, right?! I don’t want to wait 6 months after the trip, and we can’t postpone, the trip is for DH’s brother’s destination wedding. Thoughts?

[Deleted]

What does your doctor say? I'd follow their advice.

[yaga]

My doctor was very, very serious about Zika concerns. I was seeing a reproductive endocrinologist, but other doctors I had seen around the same time expressed the same concerns. (I went to South America.) I went on the pill as the risk was not worth it but the trip was very much needed.

[gigem]

I lived in a Zika country (in addition to several even more severe mosquito born diseases dangerous for mother and baby) and chose to ttc (got pregnant and stayed until 32wks) and many women were pregnant so I’ll assume at least some by choice (eg pregnant colleagues). I knew the risks and let’s say had “no” choice if I wanted to ttc before possibly being sent to a country where the conditions might be even more difficult. I found it none the less quite stressful, I used deet spray all day long (applying twice even if I was gonna be in my office) except at home only because I knew after 3yrs Of living there that we never had mosquitoes in our apt.

I don’t wish that type of stress on anyone who has the choice to be in Zika zone. I had several additional ultrasounds to track growth and birth defects but the ones that could detect microcephaly are from about 18-30wks (got one every 2wks) and are so late term of course that even if you find something at that stage (basically tracking head circumference of the fetus to see over several weeks that it isn’t less than 2 std of deviation below norm) what would you do...

Lucky I had access in-country to a skilled doctor and healthcare in general (I assume you are returning to the US and you would be able to get specialized care if you got pregnant).

I only relaxed at 32wks when at that point the chance of any birth defects showing up was reduced and I left the country for maternity leave.

And honestly Zika wasn’t even the mosquito born disease that I was most worried about.

See what your doc says and the area of Mexico you are going (has there been zika cases? How long since the last reported one? Does the Zika carrying mosquito even habit the zone you would go to?) mosquitoes can only fly so far and have to transmit the disease so if you are going somewhere that has the mosquito species but no cases And your are breezy then you could still go perhaps, although the Zika mosquitoes transmit a lot of other dangerous diseases).

Also remember your husband would have to use mosquito spray too. I used 10-20% deet head to toe except under my clothes every time I went out of my house. Not really fun for vacation.

Good luck with your decision!

[georgeglass]

Here is a link to cases for 2018. I'm guessing you're going to Quintana Roo? Zero confirmed cases in 2018 (per this document).

www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/371281/Cuadro_Casos_ZIKA_y_Emb_SE32_2018.pdf