Have you got a work-related problem? In this series we invite you to send in a short description of your predicament – so that other readers can offer solutions

I work in a role where I am required to travel about once a year. My partner and I are now trying for a baby and on checking I found that some of the places I visit on my work trip are listed as moderate risk for Zika virus. I obviously don’t want to take that risk, but equally I am reluctant to share with my workplace that I am trying to have babies. I know it can often take time and so don’t want to change the way they treat me as a colleague if they know this is in my plans. (My entire reporting line is male, so as much as I would like to be optimistic I know this will change the way I am thought of.) I am also reluctant to travel at all (even to the “safer” places) once I get pregnant as I am a bit nervous of being away. Am I within my rights to say I’d rather not?

• When leaving a message on this page, please be sensitive to the fact that you are responding to a real person in the grip of a real-life dilemma, who wrote to Working It Out asking for help, and may well view your comments here.

• If you have a problem at work, this is your chance to get some advice. Email your dilemma to Working.It.Out@theguardian.com (up to 150 words, please; no attachments), or set it out below. Every fortnight we’ll ask readers to advise on one of them. We’ll also print some of the best suggestions in G2 every other Wednesday. And don’t worry about your boss: we won’t use your name.

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