Traveling to Puerto Rico while pregnant? UPDATE

Question

My husband and I have a 5 day trip planned to Puerto Rico in 3 weeks. I just found out I’m pregnant. I know Zika is still a concern in that country. I still need to talk to my OB about it. What would you do? Still go? Or cancel? Everything is already paid for and non refundable.. 😳
UPDATE: My doctor gave me the green light to travel to Puerto Rico but we still decided to cancel the trip. We are trying to get our money back! My doctor still wrote a letter. We are now traveling to Miami Florida so we can still enjoy some time at the beach.. safely!

Answer

i would just call your ob, and tell him/her what’s going on and if he gives you the thumbs up then you’re good to go!

Answer

I’m from Puerto Rico and I’m going to tell you the truth: those mosquitoes are everywhere. There is a 90% chance that you will get bitten. And those mosquito repellents don’t seem to work on every mosquito. The upside: not all of them carry Zika. But it’s still a risk. I cancelled my trip to visit my parents because I couldn’t risk it. When I lived there the mosquitos wouldn’t bother me. They have a thing for fresh blood though. You’ll have to stay away from the rainforest areas and any pools of water. That’s where they hang out the most. If you’re remaining within the tourist parts of San Juan you should be ok. San Juan is kept really clean and mosquito free for the tourists. It also rains a lot and rain keeps mosquitos away, but watch out because they tend to go inside to hide from the rain. I wish the tickets were refundable because it’s a very huge risk to go for 5 days and I know you would actually like to explore the island and see the sites. Definitely talk to your doctor about it. But remember: not all mosquitos carry Zika. I have several friends who have been pregnant and carried full term in Puerto Rico but it’s because mosquitos don’t tend to bother the locals. It’s the fresh blood they seek. Sorry to sound dramatic but I don’t want to sugarcoat the truth.

Answer

I would never take the risk of going to a country with a Zika warning while pregnant/planning to become pregnant as it’s not considered safe. Only doctors can advise you. I can understand your disappointment but I think it’s an unnecessary gable with your child’s health. Maybe see if someone can buy your ticket? x

Answer

I wouldn’t risk it.
If you go, make sure you stock up on mosquito repellant, avoid going out at night time, keep windows closed in room to avoid mosquitos coming in.
Good luck

Answer

Thank you for all the advice. My doctor gave me the green light to go, but ultimately leaving it up to me. I’m still on the fence! 😖

Traveling to Puerto Rico while pregnant? UPDATE

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