Pregnant and worried about the Zika virus
Lotti writes: I can’t believe that the government hasn’t issued recommendations and policies yet, especially for pregnant women and their partner and families. Being 3 months pregnant now, I am stuck at home since days not knowing what to do. There’s just not a word to be heard from official side. My OBG said they are waiting for recommendation from the government. Until then the OBG is not allowed to say anything. Shall we all get infected and give birth to braindead babies until we hear sth or get warned?
The advice ‘don’t get bitten by mosquitoes’ is just ridiculous! Other pregnant couples I know already left the Island. No pregnant woman should actually leave the house anymore. But no warning, no caution. I am sure we will hear of the first babies with microcephaly being born very soon. The only trips I am going to do when out of the house is to the airport.
This comment was posted in response to Earlier local Zika transmission confirmed in 2nd case
Category: Health, Medical Health, Viewpoint
Ask your OBGYN for advice. Try not to go out when the mosquitoes are out in full force. Cover your skin with long sleeves, pants, socks, and wear a hat when you’re outside, and use a good insect repellent on all exposed skin. That’s it. That’s all you can do, but just DO IT!
Also being pregnant myself and due end of January the fears of getting bitten is driving me crazy. I have a young son who loves to be outdoors more than anything, making it difficult to stay inside. Thankfully I have friends and family who are willing to take him out to play. If I have to leave me house I ensure I am using bug spray all over my skin and clothes, as well as avoiding peak mosquito hours. My OB has advised me that I am doing the best that I can without being a complete hermit and staying at home all the time. I do have to go to work and take my child to school etc. I found a spray though it is not local that contains 50% Deet called Jungle Formula and I have been using it everyday. I have not been bitten to this day since becoming pregnant. I think we need to use common sense and protect ourselves and be very observant of our surroundings. If you see one mosquito leave the place immediately. It has worked for me so far.
Abortion is illegal in Brasil, up to 3 years prison. In Colombia abortion is legal, in a case like microcephaly almost until due date.
12,000 Zika Cases Confirmed in Pregnant Colombian Women — Zero Microcephaly Cases. Nearly 90 Percent of Brazil Microcephaly Cases Occurred in the Northeast. Dr. Fatima Marinho, director of information and health analysis at Brazil’s ministry of health, told the journal Nature, “We suspect that something more than Zika virus is causing the high intensity and severity of cases.
Read scientific proof of link between zika and microcephaly here: http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/a-stronger-link-between-zika-and-birth-defects
Apparently one OB GYN on island is being extremely self serving and is not following WHO/CDC guidelines and telling women there is nothing to worry about and not even warning them to use repellant and refusing to test for Zika (even at their expense)…
Ms Anonymous at 10:26 pm — it is not exactly true that “there is nothing to worry about”. Pregnant women need to be very, very careful!!!
OMG thats scary
I am pregnant too, I was bitten by mosquitoes locally (and I have no travel history) for more than a month now and I did not see or feel any symptoms. I guess my baby is okay from my last checkup.
It was in July when I freak out and very conscious about mosquito bites because that was the time when the news came out about several persons in Cayman got infected by ZIKA abroad.
From the time we read about the two ZIKA cases acquired locally, we avoided going out for recreational activity and instead chose to stay home, except for short trips here and there.
I think it is reasonable to ask, what is the assistance that the Government will provide if it turns out that one or more of the babies in Cayman acquired microcephaly from ZIKA that has been acquired locally since this is a reversible case?
But off course, the unknown fact to me as of the moment is the mortality rate of a baby having microcephaly since most of the brain disease acquired during conception has a high mortality rate and the guidance will say the baby will only last a year or over few years. The sure thing about it is the pain that the parents and child will suffer as it can last for a short period of time or a lifetime.
However, the immediate action needed is to eradicate the virus from our populace so that hopefully none will suffer from this devastating experience.
10:32 am — it seems to me you are taking appropriate action. However, many persons bitten by Zika infected mosquitoes show no symptom. You could discuss this with your Obstetrician.
Buy a mosqutoes suit. But your fear is more detrimental to the health of your baby.
If you can post a comment here, you are capable of putting on insect repellent or going inside when mosquitos are biting. You can also manage to go on the various government websites that clearly advise you how to avoid getting bitten. What kind of magic government policy do you expect? You sound like a political troll to me.
Your government could not wipe its own butt without getting a consultant. Why wait for them to do anything?
Mosquitos also enter homes!! Have you been reading all along what needs to be o be done?? Repellant, repellant, repellant!!
Is that like repellent, repellent, repellent?
Just asking.
Cayman’s government isn’t going to have any better information than the World Health Organization. Here’s all the Q&A already available. Your OBG should have told you this.
http://www.who.int/features/qa/zika/en/
Is it for real? I mean the comment.
@Anonymous
1. Affected are only countries that have locally transmitted cases, which are the Americas, the Carribbean and Florida, that’s it.
2. I will avoid making love at the moment because I don’t want to be infected.
But thanks for the well meant advice!
You see, I stay at home because I am worried enough without the government telling me so. But a lot of pregnant women are not worried and out and about, thinking everything is just a big joke and nothing to be worried about. It just slows everything down. And there’s a lot of open questions that we are not informed about. If the government doesn’t give instructions how seriously we have to handle this, the firms where you work and insurance companies who pay for abroad services, and doctors, don’t react either.
What about the people who have no means or visa to leave? Or whose work place is outside? I really hope Zika disappears and we don’t have to deal with the pandemi here. But it’s unlikely because we are surrounded by affected countries and everyday there’s ships and airplanes coming and going from highly affected areas. 80%of people who have Zika have no symptoms, mosquitoes bite them and then infect others and other mosquitoes.
I really appreciate how often the airplane sprays and I think the genetically modified mosquitoes are great too, but now we have to go a step further and accept that Zika has arrived despite all the good efforts.
Dont be a fool. Leave the island and go live with your parents and avoid sex with your husband till you have given birth is the only sure way of avoiding your baby getting birth defects. Every young couple expat wanting children should leave. This will spread fast and not worth playing russian roulette with your childs future. There is no fix or cure.
Trolling that comment does not effect the reality of it. The consequences for Cayman could be profound.
7:18 pm: I actually do not think that Zika is going to “spread fast” in Cayman. Why? We don’t have the key condition that creates the overwhelming outbreaks experienced elsewhere — the contributing extreme poverty:
– most if not all houses have screens
– generally predisposing domestic environmental conditions better here
– effective government mosquito-control response
– greater accessibility to medical care among most members of population
If we are all aware and exercise proper precaution, that will go a far way: Use bug spray; try to stay indoors during peak mosquito hours; take precautions when you travel to countries with outbreaks.
Above all, if you get the virus and know you have it — stay put — indoors until the virus clears so you don’t spread it. If you are a man, use condones or better still abstain.
Your comment is very naive. In just a week, we have had 2 cases of local transmission. Is that not enough warning to heed in its speed of transmission. What about sex and kissing? You can’t stop people doing that. You can take all the precautions in the world but if you in the wrong place at the wrong time you can be bitten anywhere. If I was pregnant in Cayman I would be outta there, before you could count to three. No way would I risk my child’s future. Anywhere but where Zika is. It is not something to play with.
2:04 — no one is saying don’t “take heed”. The poster did, in fact, outline how to “take heed.”
Your advice to leave is not always possible for everyone. AND THIS IS NOT TO SUGGEST THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD NOT BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL!
Why is the government’s recommendations going to make you take action? It’s not like this is a brand new disease that cropped up in Cayman and nowhere else. The stats are out there, do your research. I’m not trying to be harsh but the government doesn’t have secret information that will benefit you and you certainly can’t blame them if the advice they give out is wrong.. it’s learn as we go with this thing. Only about 1% of births are affected by zika but you should be taking precautions in any event…
I feel your pain. I can imagine how I would feel were I in your position. However, I agree with the other posters that there is not much more that can be said than what has already been said — Use bug spray with Deet and stay indoors in mosquito peak hours. Have someone check the environs looking for breeding sites and remove as much as is possible. Talk to MRCU and Environmental Health to see if they can give any helpful advice; for example, how vulnerable is your area to mosquitoes, especially where Zika patients may be living. Ask how these agencies can help to reduce risk in your area.
Other than that, stay calm and positive. Another poster says only 1% of births are affected — not sure about that stat — just don’t know — but you could look that up. Also, I have read that one of the reasons Zika has had such bad outcomes in some cases may be due to overload of the virus — being stung over and over from large infestations of mosquitoes — and possibly from infections from male partners. Don’t know how reliable this info is either, but it seems logical. Remember, too, that we probably don’t have at this time a high rate of infection in our mosquitoe pool — and the GMO mosquitoes are already at work.
Above all, try to reduce the anxiety — pregnancy is a time of heightened emotions but try not to worry, as that doesn’t help and is not good for the baby.
And good luck!
While for most of us the Zika virus may amount to no more than an inconvenience, we have a responsibility to take every precaution as we can indirectly contribute to a baby being born with microcephaly.
It is unfortunate that we cannot have an instant test so that everyone who lands here from a country with know Zika outbreaks could be tested for the virus at the airport and if positive be sent back. The virus poses a serious enough risk to some population sectors that I would support that.
Unfortunately we not have an instant test. But travelers who know they contracted the Zika infection overseas could do us a favour and check with doctors there and stay away until they are clear of the virus. An inconvenience to you could mean death or a lifetime of specialist care for impacted newborns, distress to families, loss of productivity in our small population and a possible strain on national resources.
I am urging persons who travel to give a thought to those who are most vulnerable and to take proper precautions when they travel.
Which other country are you going to go ? Everywhere else in the world seems to have it.
My recommendation is to stay indoors and make lot’s of love to your husband or boyfriend, to keep your nerves calm.
Good Luck !!
Although countries that don’t have the species of mosquito that carries zika would be a good choice.
“everywhere else seems to have it”???
NO
There’s no Zika in non tropical zones. Try UK, Canada, and 49 of the US states for starters.
Lotti, I am not sure why you are waiting for “the government” as there is nothing magical they can possibly announce. The advice is the same for anyone in any area globally dealing with this. Either leave or do everything possible to avoid getting bit. How is that “ridiculous”? What else are you expecting??
A government “policy” is not going to lessen any risks.
Its ridiculous because you can’t avoid getting bitten. It’s like saying don’t breathe the oxygen in the air
No resident should wait for the CIG’s selective interpretation/regurgitation of existing CDC and WHO recommendations on anything health related. CIG and Public Health are often many months behind in their knowledge and policy. Just go directly to the websites of the world medical authorities on the subject.
@10.00am Did you stop to think before you hit ‘post’? First you suggested avoiding recommendations from the US CDC (Centre for Disease Control) or WHO (World Health Organization), Then secondly you suggest the internet to find World Authorities.FYI WHO represents close to 2 hundred nations which makes for a very large portion of World Authorities including USA, The UK, The EU,Cuba and Israel some of the top nations in medicine around the world ; not quite sure where you are suggesting she get advice from.
“Don’t wait for CIG’s delayed regurgitation” was the message. Take a chill pill.
A. Stop blaming government. B.Find a new ob/gyn.