Has anyone travelled to Africa or specifically Kenya when pregnant? I am in the safe zone for flying but i'm concerned about Malaria. I've heard Larium is safe for pregnant women but how effective is it as apparently Malaria can cause a lot of complications when pregnant. This is an emergency trip that my husband has to take, i want to go so much but need to weigh up the risks first. I've already had yellow fever shots etc 2 years ago so don't need anything like that and have taken Larium without side effects in the past also. Travel doctors want me to book in for consultations but wont give me any answers over the phone!!!! I'm crossing my fingers xx. thanks.

I was hoping to start trying to get pregnant on my honeymoon but doctors told me it was not possible because of risk of malaria. I begged to see if there was ANYTHING I could do and they assured me that the only thing I could do was NOT get pregnant -- and not to try to start until at least two months after return from the malaria zone to make sure I had not contracted it. They put me on malarone, which is not very pregnancy friendly. Now, I have no idea what to do if already pregnant, but I would DEF. go in and talk with the doctor, pref. one who really knows about malaria. A trip to Africa may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but a healthy baby is the most important thing! Best of luck. I hope you can go.

Only in consultation with your physician can you make a very personal decision.

However, there are plenty of women in Kenya, who are (or become) pregnant, might/might not take malaria meds, don't get malaria and have perfectly healthy babies.

Where in Kenya will you be visiting? When (month)? For how long to be in-country? If Nairobi only, be aware that most don't take malaria meds due to it's high altitute and tendency to be cold (mossies don't like altitude and cold). This doesn't mean there are no mossies, but rarely those who carry malaria.

If out on safari, the coming months (Jul-Sep) are considered "winter" and "dry" season, so cold/cool mornings/nights; mossies, if out and flying do so from dusk to dawn. And, being dry, mossies often not found at all.

Besides, you need to be bitten by a certain mossie and an infected female at that.

Again, only you can decide.

My daughter is pregnant and we'll be leaving for Africa on Monday. We're going to Mashatu in Botswana and MalaMala in South Africa. Her dr has given her a thumbs up and she will be using mosquito spray and wearing long sleeves and pants. It is winter there now so I doubt there will be many, if any, mosquitos.

I think it's hard for someone (including doctors) that hasn't been to Africa to realize that it's not a big jungle full of mosquitos and bugs. Especially when it's cold. I doubt that I have even seen 10 mosquitos in half a dozen trips.

I'm certainly not telling you what to do and I know you can get malaria from one bite (of a female mosquito carrying malaria) but it does have to bite you and if you wear bug spray and cover up your chance of being bitten is greatly decreased.

Good luck with your decision.

Have fun at Mashatu and Mala Mala...we did the exact trip in October...we loved Mashatu.

thanks all for the information. I would LOVE to be going on safari but unfortunately we would only be visiting for a very somber reason and will have to leave very soon. My husband comes from an area where he says there are a lot of mosquitos - Eldoret and possibly also further west near the Uganda border, being colder months though hopefully it wont be to bad.
As it's a very sudden trip we don't have a lot of money which is a worry if i require hospital care but i think maybe travel insurance may cover that. I was in Uganda in August/September last year and it was quite warm but i never saw any mosquito's so hopefully i'll have the same luck. These responses have given me hope though, i'll now speak to the doctor and hopefully they will give me the green light. Thanks so much for your help!!!! Jodie

June & July are not mosquito seasons in So Africa. Chances of contracting Malaria are minute.

thats good news thanks

This is a tough call -- please listen carefully to what the doctor has to say. Re: travel insurance covering any medical expenses -- pre exisiting conditions (ie your pregnancy) are generally covered ONLY if you purchase insurance within a certain number of days (often 14) of booking your reservations. I've worked for these companies -- believe me, there are NO exceptions to the rules. Read the policy's fine print; if you don't meet the rules to have full coverage, do not take the risk of traveling.

..comments about whether or not an MD has been to Africa or not are irrelevant. I would sugest you speak to someone who does infectious diseases. He/she will probably check the CDC web site which has up to date info re Malaria- country, region within the country, type(s) of malaria and resistance patterns. He/she will be knowledgable about drug teratogenicity. Once he/she gives you this info, you can make an informed decision based on the above information rather than opinions given on the board.