Planning Winter Travel and Zika

[Anonymous]

My husband and I have a son, 14 months, and we’d like to begin trying for a second very soon. My parents rent a house in Venice, Florida on the Gulf coast and our whole family (my family, parents and siblings) plans a week together there every March. They have begun asking if we plan on making the trip again this March, and I’m just not sure what to do. I’d be really disappointed not to go, but I have a nagging feeling that maybe it’s just not worth it this year to risk Zika infection. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't go. Not worth it.

[Anonymous]

If you go, you will want to be on birth control until next September. If this isn't something you're will to do, then skip the vacation this year.

[Anonymous]

I'd skip - they aren't sure how long it lasts in sperm yet, and part of TTC'ing is obviously unprotected sex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd skip - they aren't sure how long it lasts in sperm yet, and part of TTC'ing is obviously unprotected sex.

Usually it's no more than 2 months, but they did find one man who had Zika in his semen 181 days post-infection. Out of everyone studied so far, 6 months is the record, although the CDC and NIH are conducting controlled trials to answer this question.

[Anonymous]

With all of the information we have right now, I think the actual risk of infection if you go to Venice, Florida in March is very low. There is no evidence of locally transmitted infection anywhere outside of Miami (except for that one case in Pinellas County of murky origin) and March is coming off of the cooler, less buggy months.

That said, only you know how much risk you are willing to tolerate. I'm currently pregnant and planning to travel to Florida for a wedding next month, so I've been following closely. Right now, the trip is still on, but I'm definitely watching and waiting to make sure nothing else comes up before then.

[Anonymous]

I used to live in Florida and went to Venice quite a few times, including several times in March. As I'm sure you remember from your previous trips there, mosquitoes are typically already pretty active during March. I wouldn't risk it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd skip - they aren't sure how long it lasts in sperm yet, and part of TTC'ing is obviously unprotected sex.

Usually it's no more than 2 months, but they did find one man who had Zika in his semen 181 days post-infection. Out of everyone studied so far, 6 months is the record, although the CDC and NIH are conducting controlled trials to answer this question.

Yes, that's my point. They aren't sure, and thankfully are looking into it. But we don't know the answer yet, or what might cause one man to be an outlier, or if 6 months will remain the record, or what.

[Anonymous]

I am in the exact same boat and just booked a trip for February. Now I am having second thoughts.

CDC guidelines are changing all the time but last I read was if you and your partner do not contract zika, then you only have to wait 8 weeks.

[Anonymous]

I got pregnant a year ago and delivered in March. Both sets of our parents are in FL and we go every spring break and Christmas. We didn't go for Christmas for different reasons and by Jan Zika was in the news. Not much was known about the disease then (which isn't that different now but the sperm transmission was not known then). We deduced against our April trip well before there were any local transmissions and I'm still glad we did. Ultimately we decided it was an avoidable risk and a small price to payeven for a very low risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With all of the information we have right now, I think the actual risk of infection if you go to Venice, Florida in March is very low. There is no evidence of locally transmitted infection anywhere outside of Miami (except for that one case in Pinellas County of murky origin) and March is coming off of the cooler, less buggy months.

That said, only you know how much risk you are willing to tolerate. I'm currently pregnant and planning to travel to Florida for a wedding next month, so I've been following closely. Right now, the trip is still on, but I'm definitely watching and waiting to make sure nothing else comes up before then.

My mom lives in Palm Beach County and there have been local transmissions. Also in Broward in addition to Miami Dade and Pinellas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With all of the information we have right now, I think the actual risk of infection if you go to Venice, Florida in March is very low. There is no evidence of locally transmitted infection anywhere outside of Miami (except for that one case in Pinellas County of murky origin) and March is coming off of the cooler, less buggy months.

That said, only you know how much risk you are willing to tolerate. I'm currently pregnant and planning to travel to Florida for a wedding next month, so I've been following closely. Right now, the trip is still on, but I'm definitely watching and waiting to make sure nothing else comes up before then.

My mom lives in Palm Beach County and there have been local transmissions. Also in Broward in addition to Miami Dade and Pinellas.

Ah, I hadn't realized there were local transmissions moving up the coast. The Pinellas case from August is still the only local transmission on the gulf coast, though, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With all of the information we have right now, I think the actual risk of infection if you go to Venice, Florida in March is very low. There is no evidence of locally transmitted infection anywhere outside of Miami (except for that one case in Pinellas County of murky origin) and March is coming off of the cooler, less buggy months.

That said, only you know how much risk you are willing to tolerate. I'm currently pregnant and planning to travel to Florida for a wedding next month, so I've been following closely. Right now, the trip is still on, but I'm definitely watching and waiting to make sure nothing else comes up before then.

My mom lives in Palm Beach County and there have been local transmissions. Also in Broward in addition to Miami Dade and Pinellas.

Ah, I hadn't realized there were local transmissions moving up the coast. The Pinellas case from August is still the only local transmission on the gulf coast, though, right?

I'm not sure since we haven't been tracking on the gulf side. My mom has been on a one woman crusade against bird baths in her over 55 community because they have a known outbreak nearby and Zika carrying mosquitos. And she's being met with resistance. There is a lot of spraying, but seriously we are a year into this and bird baths?!

[Anonymous]

how long are you supposed to wait after traveling to a zika area if no symptoms persist. A couple weeks ago my doctor said 8 weeks. I know it can live in the sperm for up to 6 months but if you do not present symptoms, or even better get tested for it and the test is negative, couldn't you begin trying then?

what if when you returned from a zika area you went and got a zika test. If you and your partner are all clear, shouldn't you be ok to start trying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:how long are you supposed to wait after traveling to a zika area if no symptoms persist. A couple weeks ago my doctor said 8 weeks. I know it can live in the sperm for up to 6 months but if you do not present symptoms, or even better get tested for it and the test is negative, couldn't you begin trying then?

what if when you returned from a zika area you went and got a zika test. If you and your partner are all clear, shouldn't you be ok to start trying?

I don't think they will give a Zika test to a non-pregnant person. They pregnancy test you first and if it's negative they don't test for zika.