How do I know if I am pregnant before I travel?

Question

Hello. Pregnancy confirmation question vs. travel.... I had an unprotected intercourse on Friday March 8 with my partner, and according to my app. which calculates my cycle I am in ovulation period with this Sunday March 10 as the exact day of ovulation. However, we learned yesterday that we would have a possibility to go to the south in 2 weeks (the week of March 23). We don't want to go if I'm pregnant because of zika, but it's too early to do a urine test... could a blood test done this week tell me if I'm pregnant or not? I'd really like to go on vacation if I'm not (and wait 3 months afterwards for baby testing) but I wouldn't want to put my pregnancy at risk if I am indeed pregnant ... And, considering that women in these countries are still having children... what is the real risk of getting zika if you stay on the resort and use an appropriate mosquito repellent? Is there a large proportion of sick babies in these countries, and babies affected here because of parents who traveled? Thank you! We would go in republic or in Mexico ( 2 destinations touched by the zika if I trust the site of the government of Canada ), but not precise places for the moment. In an all inclusive, and we would stay on site (no excursions). My cycle is on average 27 days, my last periods were on Monday March 1st, 4th and 8th. My last period started on February 25

Jean-Félix Côté · Accepted Answer

Hello, thank you for your question. To be able to answer you better, I would need some additional information. 1. First of all, could you please tell me where you are planning to travel. 2. The length of your menstrual cycle and if it is regular. 3. The date of other unprotected intercourse (if any). We are still working on your file. We will have a complete answer for you shortly Hello, thank you for this information. First of all, let's talk about your uncertain pregnancy. The urine test is an easy way to detect pregnancy, but you have to wait until your period is late. With the blood test, the result is quicker, the week before your period. However, it is necessary to have a medical prescription to do so and that it is interpreted by a doctor. Even in this case, there is a risk of a false negative (you are pregnant when the test does not say so). For the test to be more effective, it must be taken a little later but in your case you will be away on vacation which prevents us from confirming your pregnancy. Secondly, regarding Zika. The Dominican Republic is considered a risk area, meaning that there are no cases currently but some cases were reported in 2016 and 2017. It is not recommended for pregnant women to travel there. By staying in a hotel and applying mosquito repellent it is possible to minimize the risk but the risk is always present. The consequences of an infection on the child can be serious such as miscarriage or the risk of microcephaly (small brain). Although the chance of being infected by Zika is low, the consequences can be significant so it is up to you to make your decision depending on the tour and your knowledge of the risks. If you decide to go, don't forget to use protection such as condoms during sexual intercourse for the next 3 months following your return as Zika is sexually transmitted even in the absence of symptoms. For more information you can consult: https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/zika/women-and-their-partners.html. We hope to have answered your question. Jean-Félix Côté, pharmacist