ZIKA virus?

victoria98

Have you ladies heard of it? If not definately look it up! I'm a little worried because I live in Texas and I've heard of cases of the virus in southern Texas have been reported. 

victoria98

https://www.facebook.com/DiscoveryNews/videos/10153705549663387/

sunshineandwhiskey

Four pages of Info

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12656320/caribbean-travel-while-pregnant#latest

ETA: math teacher and i can't count

victoria98

Omgg you're kidding ! Please no one bash me

PhoebeJune1984

victoria98 said:

Omgg you're kidding ! Please no one bash me

thebigoaktree

I love the smell of fear after I get home from work.

BostonBaby1

victoria98 said:

Omgg you're kidding ! Please no one bash me

It's not like the title was Zika Virus. I think you're good in terms of bashing. I wish we could make a gif party but I can't gif from my iPhone easily today.

cpocks

Phew thank goodness I live in Canada. It seems scary. I'd be most concerned if your outside North America. 

fantasticmrsfox

PhoebeJune1984 said:

victoria98 said:

Omgg you're kidding ! Please no one bash me

That gif made me bust out laughing. So glad there's no one around me. 

Lynna813

I got an email from my OB yesterday about it.  If you think you've been exposed to it see your provider. 

https://www.womenscarefl.com/women's-health/zika-virus 

dolewhipper

@lynna813 we have the same provider!

PhoebeJune1984

cpocks said:

Phew thank goodness I live in Canada. It seems scary. I'd be most concerned if your outside North America. 

Its not like there is an invisible wall that keeps them from getting into Canada. I mean, the mosquitos did start out in a completely different county, and made their way to Mexico. So really, they could just as easily making their way into the US and then to Canada.

mamafox14

PhoebeJune1984 said:

cpocks said:

Phew thank goodness I live in Canada. It seems scary. I'd be most concerned if your outside North America. 

Its not like there is an invisible wall that keeps them from getting into Canada. I mean, the mosquitos did start out in a completely different county, and made their way to Mexico. So really, they could just as easily making their way into the US and then to Canada.

Originally I had heard that they weren't concerned about Canada because it's too cold for the particular species of mosquito that's carrying it, but that could have changed, I'm not sure!

Weville

As of right now we don't have to worry about the mosquitos in Canada but things do change. From what I understand probably not in this pregnancy 

paigeystuff

There have already been 2 confirmed cases in Houston, TX but they both had traveled to impacted areas before coming down with it, and were not pregnant to my knowledge. As it is expected in here this spring/summer and we have those particular mosquitoes here, DH and I have a plan to be very good about spraying the yard regularly starting in March and carrying my natural lavender mosquito repellent with me every where. Basically we are not going to be lazy about anything this year as in years past. Truth be told I will probably avoid too much time hanging out on the back patio because we get a lot of mosquitoes and the city doesn't usually treat until later in the year.

cpocks

It's too cold. Plus we do get Mosquitos in the spring and summer but Zika virus does not effect you if your full term. 

dolewhipper

cpocks said:

It's too cold. Plus we do get Mosquitos in the spring and summer but Zika virus does not effect you if your full term. 

Zika can effect anyone, do you mean microcephaly? Many children aren't diagnosed till after they're born. Some can be seen in ultrasound but not all of them. Do you have a source at when a pregnancy would be "in the clear" if infected? 

ach298

dolewhipper said:

cpocks said:

It's too cold. Plus we do get Mosquitos in the spring and summer but Zika virus does not effect you if your full term. 

Zika can effect anyone, do you mean microcephaly? Many children aren't diagnosed till after they're born. Some can be seen in ultrasound but not all of them. Do you have a source at when a pregnancy would be "in the clear" if infected? 

According to an article I just read, most doctors believe that if Zika is causing the microcephaly (they still don't know that it does for sure), most of the danger lies in the first trimester. There is fear though that it can cause vision and hearing loss and other problems in infants so really avoidance of the virus entirely is preferred. Most organs are formed by the end of the second trimester though, so catching it in the third trimester would be less likely to cause as many developmental issues than in earlier pregnancy, simply because those organs are already formed. 

lorelaie10

I've read many many articles on this because I've always been a mosquito magnet and we live in the southeast U.S. From what I've gathered, the type of mosquito that carries Zika WILL eventually carry it here in North America. The mosquito is already in some states, just not the virus. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer. Hopefully the WHO can create an immunization quickly. 

dolewhipper

ach298 While I understand they haven't 100% linked microcephaly to Zika, the amount of babies born in Brazil with the condition is just too high, and WHO is linking it. However, if microcephaly is a stunting of growth to the skull and brain, can't that happen at point throughout pregnancy? (like in the second or early third tri?) I'm trying to understand all that I can about the condition. Now it looks like Zika is also linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome, which looks like it can happen at any time.

stephweinstein

dolewhipper said:

ach298 While I understand they haven't 100% linked microcephaly to Zika, the amount of babies born in Brazil with the condition is just too high, and WHO is linking it. However, if microcephaly is a stunting of growth to the skull and brain, can't that happen at point throughout pregnancy? (like in the second or early third tri?) I'm trying to understand all that I can about the condition. Now it looks like Zika is also linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome, which looks like it can happen at any time.

Yes, that can happen at any point during the pregnancy though the articles I've read have indicated the most significant risk of abnormality would occur if contracted during the first trimester.

erinfey09

I have heard of it and live in Southern California so I'm a little paranoid as well since it's coming through central America and Mexico.

Since bug spray is generally not recommended for pregnant women, I picked up a bottle of citronella essential oil.
I dab one drop on each side of my neck and on my wrists.

We don't have many mosquitoes here but I'm not taking that risk!

rnyland1

erinfey09 said:

I have heard of it and live in Southern California so I'm a little paranoid as well since it's coming through central America and Mexico.

Since bug spray is generally not recommended for pregnant women, I picked up a bottle of citronella essential oil.
I dab one drop on each side of my neck and on my wrists.

We don't have many mosquitoes here but I'm not taking that risk!

According to the CDC website, insect repellents, including those containing DEET are safe during pregnancy....I'm looking at it right now. Where did you get the info that bug spray is not recommended for pregnant women?

rnyland1

mothertobaby.org has a lot of great fact sheets about DEET and pregnancy and all sorts of other info about meds and chemicals during pregnancy. I would think that the benefits outweigh the risks here. I live in Houston so Zika is going to be spreading soon, and I will be using bug spray to protect myself. 

soberkfell

I'm not sure if anyone has tried them, but the Off! bracelets work WONDERS. In fact, I think they might be more effective than when I am wearing the spray. I guess I'll be buying them in bulk this summer and wearing them on my ankles and wrists!

I will definitely be looking into having our yard sprayed as well.

When I was reading about the virus specifically in Brazil and the government recommending women not trying to conceive until 2017, do we know if that's because that is by when they anticipate they will have an immunization developed?

erinfey09

@rnyland1
I can't recall exactly where I heard/read it, but it said something to the extent that the FDA usually doesn't suggest the use of bug sprays for pregnant women, but they are lifting the caution in this particular case as the virus obviously has more severe effects... however, as others have mentioned, I have heard that ones containing DEET are okay to use (maybe this is the safest, but still not optimal solution).

stillcozy

@soberkfell those are a thing?! I need to order them for this summer! 

soberkfell

@Lindsayleigh1989 totally! You can buy them in the camping section at Wal-Mart. They come in little individually-sealed packages like these! https://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Repellent-Bracelets-Pack-Protection/dp/B0106IZ86Q/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1454364843&sr=8-24&keywords=mosquito+repellent+bracelets

Puddles03

Canadian mosquitos don't currently carry the virus and they are saying that chile (because the mosquitos don't cross the mountain range) and Canada are the only places that won't be affected this year. Yes the virus can jump species but that takes time. If you are worried come visit Canada this spring/summer, it's wonderful and cheap, we could really use a boost to our economy anyway! 

sunshineandwhiskey

@Puddles03 we cancelled our honeymoon in ST Lucia and I think we are looking into Canada now! 

elenabrent

Last summer I made my own bug spray with cedar, citronella, and lemon eucalyptus essential oils. The CDC has said lemon eucalyptus is as effective as DEET. I used it all summer and didn't get any bites. That says a lot because I'm a mosquito magnet and I live in a swampy area.

sunshineandwhiskey

https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/zika-virus-sexual-contact-texas/index.html

Apparently now it can be transmitted sexually.  

stillcozy

DeriveMyPi said:

https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/zika-virus-sexual-contact-texas/index.html

Apparently now it can be transmitted sexually.  

I just saw this and was going to post it ahh!! Go away scary virus go away!!!

kim1989

DeriveMyPi said:

https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/zika-virus-sexual-contact-texas/index.html

Apparently now it can be transmitted sexually.  

Now I'm scared of even going near DH because we live in an affected country and there's not always symptom. Scary

chanfa

DeriveMyPi said:

https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/zika-virus-sexual-contact-texas/index.html

Apparently now it can be transmitted sexually.  

I am wondering if there was any swap in blood for this to happen. Still some time needed to understand it, I guess...

PugsandKisses

chanfa said:

DeriveMyPi said:

https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/zika-virus-sexual-contact-texas/index.html

Apparently now it can be transmitted sexually.  

I am wondering if there was any swap in blood for this to happen. Still some time needed to understand it, I guess...

I don't know. I know that it can only be sexually transmitted during the first two weeks after infection. 

Also, GA has its first known cases. The person traveled end of Dec to early Jan, so he/she is no longer 'contagious '.

rnyland1

I'm starting to wonder if the media is blowing some of this out of proportion...from what I gathered from the cdc website, the "link" between microcephaly and the Zika virus hasn't been really proven. I still hate mosquitos though and am highly allergic to the bites so I will be taking all my normal precautions to avoid being bit, if possible. I just feel like there's been a lot of fear-mongering in the media and not a lot of evidence to back it all up.

stillcozy

rnyland1 said:

I'm starting to wonder if the media is blowing some of this out of proportion...from what I gathered from the cdc website, the "link" between microcephaly and the Zika virus hasn't been really proven. I still hate mosquitos though and am highly allergic to the bites so I will be taking all my normal precautions to avoid being bit, if possible. I just feel like there's been a lot of fear-mongering in the media and not a lot of evidence to back it all up.

I disagree this is not fear mongering. Countries do not encourage women to not get pregnant for no reason. And when a surge of children have been born with microcephaly after their mothers had Zika it is a fair conclusions.

Shelby00519

I just read that there are 9 cases in Florida. We're supposed to be going to Disney in a month and it's got me worried.  

chanfa

Shelby00519 said:

I just read that there are 9 cases in Florida. We're supposed to be going to Disney in a month and it's got me worried.  

Look at the 9 cases to see if they are local or if the women went on vacation to a country with mosquitoes that had the virus. There is a difference but just be careful anyway. Definitely speak to your doctor to see if it is recommended.

chanfa

rnyland1 said:

I'm starting to wonder if the media is blowing some of this out of proportion...from what I gathered from the cdc website, the "link" between microcephaly and the Zika virus hasn't been really proven. I still hate mosquitos though and am highly allergic to the bites so I will be taking all my normal precautions to avoid being bit, if possible. I just feel like there's been a lot of fear-mongering in the media and not a lot of evidence to back it all up.

The reason why this is all over the news is because it is a new virus and nothing is 100% definitive yet. I will not take the chance of getting infected just because there no proven link yet (if there is one). The rise in microcephaly and especially mainly in the countries with the virus is very suspect and there is no harm in avoiding these countries while pregnant. 

ETA: Avoiding till we know for sure.