Zika virus / honeymoon plans

Are you pregnant or planning on trying to get pregnant in the near future? Cause if not you can still go to locations with the virus, it is mostly like a flu for adults.

I plan to start TTC after the wedding

As far as I can tell from what I've read, if you waited like a month before conceiving you'd be fine.

We were doing Puerto Rico until my mother heard of the virus and scared the bejesus out of my boy...now we're doing Disney!

The Bahamas doesn't have any active cases, we're honeymooning there.

Make sure you buy CFAR (cancel for any reason) coverage on your travel insurance. www.csatravelprotection.com

I wouldn't go if you're TTC soon. Virus can show up long after you've been there. Infected babies are being born with abnormally small heads and brains and severe birth defects.

Maybe there has been new info coming out, but the last I read, they were recommending women not get pegnant for 2 years after (if you get it).

The Zika virus is something that has been around a long time (1947) but for some reason is on the rise in Brazil rise now. At the same time, in Brazil, there has been a rise in babies born with microencephalitis. The World Health Organization (WHO) is trying to determine if one has anything to do with the other – and there is no hard evidence either way right now – but in an abundance of caution they are raising the red flag.

In the news reports there have been other options cited that may have “caused” this as well – genetically modified mosquitoes released in Brazil to combat Dengua Fever, Brazil’s vaccination of pregnant women requirement etc – basically so far the only cases tying the Zika virus to microencephaly are in Brazil.

To be clear – for most people the Zika virus is not a big deal – many don’t even know they have had it. The concern is for pregnant women and women who may be trying to get pregnant as it seems to surround the first trimester.

Here is an article talking about it

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/zika-virus-facts

First let me state I am not a Dr – so I can’t tell you how this is going to play out over the next year as you are planning your wedding. I think it is prudent to keep our eyes on the accurate news and research and watch as more definitive information comes out. Keep in mind that the mosquitoes capable of carrying the virus are also already in the United States.

I just wanted to let you know so you can think about how this may or may not affect your plans. The whole crisis could be dispelled by then – like other virus scares before it (the Swine Flu that closed Mexico in 2009 comes to mind) – there is just no way to know right now.

Kimberly Jacoby

Romantics Travel

romanticstravel.com

Those that LIVE in infected areas are being told not to get pregnant. If you got infected before pregnancy, it takes about a week to leave your system. At that point it won't affect a future pregnancy. We are honeymooning in Costa Rica in May. Keeping it booked as planned, just careful not to get pregnant while there or the month after.

The Centers for Disease Control says, "Women trying to become pregnant or who are thinking about becoming pregnant should consult with their healthcare provider before traveling to these areas and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during the trip."

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy/question-answers.html

Honestly, if I were contemplating pregnancy in the near future, I'd choose some other location for a honeymoon. Having to be constantly careful about not just applying mosquito repellents (which would have to be of certain types) but reapplying them on a timely basis, wearing permethrin-treated clothing, avoiding swimming or other activities that could wash the repellents off, would be enough to make the honeymoon less enjoyable. And that's even leaving aside the issue that in a warm climate, repellents applied to your face often get into your eyes.

Thanks guys!

@2d the key being "consult with a healthcare provider."

This is so scary. I don't plan on becoming pregnant but our honeymoon is booked for May to Brazil! I have insurance and can cancel but I don't if I should. Damn

Yeah, this is a little scary. I am going to the Dominican Republic for my honeymoon in April and I had been planning to TTC right after the wedding. Looks like an appointment with my doctor to discuss things is necessary now.

I did just read something, and of course I can't find the article, BBC I think, about how the virus can be transmitted in semen for quite a while after an infection. That article recommended waiting between 6 months and a year to conceive because it can stay in your body. I think that is what makes this virus so scary- all the available information and resources contradict themselves.

I'm definitely considering cancelling our honeymoon; we're booked to go to Maya Riviera and were planning to start TTC right after the wedding, but with there being so many unknowns surrounding how long the virus can last once you're infected, or how long it can be sexually transmittable, I really don't feel like I'd be able to relax. I'd much rather have our honeymoon somewhere local, and then go have our vacation in Mexico for an anniversary or around a time when TTC isn't in the immediate future.

I'm going to talk to FH about this when I get home tonight.. no idea how he'll feel about this. We also already paid our deposit through a travel agent and I'm really hoping we can receive some sort of reimbursement..

People here are making claims on how long the virus stays in your body: They don't know for sure. So yes, some countries are recommending to wait 2 years. I've never heard the 1 week number. The birth defects are suspiciously connected to the zika virus, however this is not fully proven either. The virus is not new as stated, however the virus has reach populations with no built up natural immunity. There is a lot unknown still scientifically.

That being said, I would talk to my doctor, and personally if you are TTC right after your wedding I would be inclined to change my destination. That particular birth defect is rather severe.

The countries that are recommending people wait 2 years are the countries where the zika virus is very prevalent. They aren't telling people to wait 2 years after infection to conceive... they are telling women considering motherhood to wait 2 years (an arbitrary number) hoping that within 2 years they will have more of an understanding about the virus.

@LadyMonk The CDC says 1 week http://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy/question-answers.html