@victoria98 it's summer here, but Sydney is quite cold for summer- currently 22C. I say this while it is 34C where I am, so maybe it's not cold to other people.
"Confirmed cases" drives me crazy. I want to know where they were when they got bit by the damn mosquito, not just where they live now. Smh.
Also, I just told DH tonight that if those little effers make it here I'm packing the car and spending the next X months up north. Then I said he could come too. Don't eff with my kid, yo!
Since I too am going to Disney in a few weeks, I asked my doctor what she thought I should do. She recommended caution and using bug spray - just in case, as so much is still unknown. And even though it isn't a huge mosquito season and even when I worked there I never got one mosquito bite - I plan to use bug spray. Better safe than sorry!
Of ffs I also live in Canada but unlike pp I am not ignorant. This is a big freakin deal! For the majority of the population it won't hardly affect them but for anyone pregnant this can be devastating and the cdc suspects the virus will move north to the USA by summer because the southern states do get those types of mosquitoes. My thoughts and prayers are with all the women who live all over the world where this is going to spread to. I know that by the summer it is unlikely to have a vaccine but hopefully they can control the populations of mosquitoes and please stay safe with bug spray or alternatives.
I live right on the texas/Mexico border. At my 18 week appointment I was sat down for about fifteen minutes and informed about Zika. Basically if it is in Mexico it could be close to where we live. They told us about microcephaly and to be very cautious and gave us the CDC packet about Zika. Mosquitos will start later this month and it definitely a scary thing to be taken seriously in affected regions or nearby.
@Kalexm oh so sorry to hear that it is an added worry for you but I'm glad to hear your dr's are well informed and hopefully will be taking extra precaution with you!
I leave for south Florida Friday. I'm trying to find some comfort in the fact that no cases have originated from mosquitos in the states, yet. My friend (that studies mosquitos) said to wear deet! I also saw that mosquitos like stinky feet so I may opt out of sandals!
@HoosierTerp Have fun! Deet it up and I'm sure you'll be fine!
I'm actually sort of happy we're "allowed" to wear Deet now, as the benefit certainly outweighs the risk. DH was always urging me to use more natural kinds of spray, especially around DD. But nothing works quite like Deet, and I'm a mosquito magnet.
HoosierTerp you have nothing to worry about, I visit family in Miami at least once a month. Wear some repellant if you're going to the everglades and if you want to err on the side of caution though In a few months when it's warmer I'm going to apply some oils that are natural repellants, but I do that anyway because mosquitos love me
I was using citronella, tea tree and lemon grass with some EVOO. Still checking about citronella being safe, I find conflicting info. My cousin is a distributor with Young Living Oils and I got some Purification Oil and peppermint oil. She lives in Texas and swears by this not only for repellant but to heal bites as well, and it's pregnancy safe. I'm going to add the oils with water and a pinch of epsom salts and stick in a spray bottle.
They also have the wrist bands with natural repellant now that people love; if I'm going into an area with a lot of mosquitos (like the Everglades) then I'll add one.
Thanks @dolewhipper! I might as well live in the Everglades during the spring/summer. We have a pool in our backyard, and the mosquitoes are out of control back there. I've tried a few different combos of oils and citronella candles, and nothing seems to work, but always open to new combos. I do need to invest in some of those wrist bands.
mandyjulie while I'm all for all natural on my body, I will admit that I am going to push for DH to spray our lawn this year and get a zapper. Whatever I can do to keep the buggers out of my house! Is it worth it to put a cover over the pool or get the mosquito donuts? Do you live in an area where there are bats? Bats love mosquitos.
Hateeee that this is a thing! I hurt for everyone who has already been affected. And I'm nervous about it coming to the U.S via mosquitos themselves as I live down south where the type of mosquitos that carry it already dwell. Thinking of us all as this progresses!!
Update: Per the CDC's updated guidelines recommending testing for all pregnant travelers, I contacted my midwives. They consulted with the big local university research hospital that handles questions like this in my city. They refused to test me. They say my city is following "an algorithm" rather than current CDC guidelines.
There is a very very low chance that I was infected when I was traveling. I'm honestly not too worried about myself.
But I am ANGRY my city is not following current guidelines. I don't know how many other travelers in my city might be affected and requesting testing, but getting denied. We live in an area that has a very bad mosquito problem. It just takes one traveler, bitten by a mosquito here, to cause a problem. And mosquito season is just around the corner.
I am sharing this information because I am completely baffled by the local response to this. The news makes it sound like Zika is such a big deal, but doctors don't seem to be taking it seriously. Honestly, it's more like they don't seem to know what to do. I knew more about Zika than the midwife I consulted today. It's so frustrating.
@PleaseSendPicklesNow I would call the CDC. Tell them what happened and ask where you can go to have sample submitted since your doctors won't do it. It is a public health issue and quite honestly should be above your doctors.
uggh we have 2 confirmed cases where I live. Plus there is a mosquito plague going on due to it being a very wet summer. I need to go stock up on some bug spray.
VICTORY!!! I spent half the day on the phone, trying to schedule a Zika test so I can be in compliance with the CDC's new recommendations. Honestly, I was kind of a bitch. Well, I just got a call from The Big Fancy University Hospital. Someone finally had time to review the new guidelines and immediately scheduled me for the first available ultrasound and consultation. I feel so satisfied right now!!!!
Yeah they literally just updated the recs on the 5th, one day after I briefed my entire department on the guidelines >:-|
The truth is, there's nothing we can do once the exposure occurs aside from monitoring for microcephaly, which we also can't do anything about (aside from termination I guess if you're eary enough). The test is only helpful if it's negative, which would mean that serial USs could be avoided. I'm actually pretty surprised they broadened the guidelines.
I expect there will be a fair amount of guideline updating over time, as more becomes known. I was surprised that the CDC limited testing for pregnant women to those with symptoms initially, since it is widely understood that the majority of infected people do not experience symptoms. The WHO has declared an emergency, and in order to study the effects of Zika, clearly we need to know who is infected. If we only ever study symptomatic people, the infection rates and negative outcomes will not be accurate or well-studied.
From a human perspective, I simply wanted to comply with CDC guidelines. It seems irresponsible not to do so.
From a mother's perspective, I want to be tested for the same reason a lot of peole want early Panorama testing: If my child will have special needs, I want to be prepared. I'd like to have as much time as possible to educate myself and find local support. A nurse I spoke to yesterday said that Zika-related microcephaly becomes apparent in ultrasounds around the end of the second trimester/beginnng of the third. If I could know now, rather than two and a half months from now, that would buy me valuable prep time.
From a scientific perspective, my understanding is that medical community wants a wider sample set, with data attached regarding precise dates of exposure. And the way to get that is to accept more test samples. Not sure if that's true, but again, the nurse mentioned it.
Just thought I'd share this update. Not to induce panic but just so everyone's informed. A new study says the virus can harm babies at any stage of pregnancy, and that the possible problems include more than only microcephaly.
From a human perspective, I simply wanted to comply with CDC guidelines. It seems irresponsible not to do so.
From a mother's perspective, I want to be tested for the same reason a lot of peole want early Panorama testing: If my child will have special needs, I want to be prepared. I'd like to have as much time as possible to educate myself and find local support. A nurse I spoke to yesterday said that Zika-related microcephaly becomes apparent in ultrasounds around the end of the second trimester/beginnng of the third. If I could know now, rather than two and a half months from now, that would buy me valuable prep time.
From a scientific perspective, my understanding is that medical community wants a wider sample set, with data attached regarding precise dates of exposure. And the way to get that is to accept more test samples. Not sure if that's true, but again, the nurse mentioned it.
I think it came across as more blunt than intended. My thought was that microcephaly would be picked up on an ultrasound anyway for those unlucky enough to have no symptoms of zika, so why test the super super low risk. I think there's something to be said for reassurance as well, but that's typically not how the CDC rolls. I agree it's likely for sample set reasons, but I was surprised that they would do it in the US, where the prevalence of disease will be super tiny, vs concentrating on countries where it's more prevalent. I wasn't trying to say don't follow the guidelines, just that I was surprised at the change to test asymptomatic women. I was also trying (and failing) to point out that getting tested immediately wouldn't change anything in the long run, and the fact that all of the hospitals hadn't changed their practice only one day after the guidelines came out was not a big deal - they probably didn't even know they changed yet or hadn't briefed their staff.
I am late to all of this since I have been absent from the boards lately, but DH traveled to an affected area for work when I was in the 1st tri. My OB felt that the blood screening is showing false positives and since termination would be the only thing that could be done, that I would skip the blood test and instead have an extra 3rd tri ultrasound just to measure head growth. The risk of transmission is lower than if I had traveled to the area myself, but it is serious enough that my OB is willing to do extra monitoring about it.
TTC Since January 2012
Me:37 DH:34 DX July 2013: Unexplained Infertility New DX Dec 2013: DOR
Just saw this NPR article. Main takeaway being that CDC guidelines might change to call for MRIs or other brain screenings at 20 weeks if the woman tested positive for Zika -- and possibly for other mothers who may have been exposed -- because brain abnormalities may show up before any signs of microcephaly.
Re: ZIKA virus?
Little boy due July 31st 2016
Also, I just told DH tonight that if those little effers make it here I'm packing the car and spending the next X months up north. Then I said he could come too. Don't eff with my kid, yo!
So hopefully a vaccine coming soon?
I'm actually sort of happy we're "allowed" to wear Deet now, as the benefit certainly outweighs the risk. DH was always urging me to use more natural kinds of spray, especially around DD. But nothing works quite like Deet, and I'm a mosquito magnet.
They also have the wrist bands with natural repellant now that people love; if I'm going into an area with a lot of mosquitos (like the Everglades) then I'll add one.
mandyjulie
There is a very very low chance that I was infected when I was traveling. I'm honestly not too worried about myself.
But I am ANGRY my city is not following current guidelines. I don't know how many other travelers in my city might be affected and requesting testing, but getting denied. We live in an area that has a very bad mosquito problem. It just takes one traveler, bitten by a mosquito here, to cause a problem. And mosquito season is just around the corner.
I am sharing this information because I am completely baffled by the local response to this. The news makes it sound like Zika is such a big deal, but doctors don't seem to be taking it seriously. Honestly, it's more like they don't seem to know what to do. I knew more about Zika than the midwife I consulted today. It's so frustrating.
I would call the CDC. Tell them what happened and ask where you can go to have sample submitted since your doctors won't do it. It is a public health issue and quite honestly should be above your doctors.
Little boy due July 31st 2016
The truth is, there's nothing we can do once the exposure occurs aside from monitoring for microcephaly, which we also can't do anything about (aside from termination I guess if you're eary enough). The test is only helpful if it's negative, which would mean that serial USs could be avoided. I'm actually pretty surprised they broadened the guidelines.
From a human perspective, I simply wanted to comply with CDC guidelines. It seems irresponsible not to do so.
From a mother's perspective, I want to be tested for the same reason a lot of peole want early Panorama testing: If my child will have special needs, I want to be prepared. I'd like to have as much time as possible to educate myself and find local support. A nurse I spoke to yesterday said that Zika-related microcephaly becomes apparent in ultrasounds around the end of the second trimester/beginnng of the third. If I could know now, rather than two and a half months from now, that would buy me valuable prep time.
From a scientific perspective, my understanding is that medical community wants a wider sample set, with data attached regarding precise dates of exposure. And the way to get that is to accept more test samples. Not sure if that's true, but again, the nurse mentioned it.
https://www.parents.com/health/parents-news-now/update-zika-can-damage-babies-at-every-stage-of-pregnancy/
https://www2.ucar.edu/atmosnews/news/19850/potential-zika-virus-risk-estimated-50-us-cities
4 rounds of clomid, 2 with IUI = BFN
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/03/30/472307332/one-woman-s-case-may-change-zika-screening-for-expectant-mothers