Toxoplasmosis and pregnancy

What is toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite which is found in meat and which needs a carrier. Animals, and cats in particular, are often carriers of toxoplasmosis and it is found in their excrement. It’s a harmless infection for human beings (the symptoms often go unnoticed), except for pregnant women who may not be immune to it (if you’re exposed to the infection, you develop immunity).

How is toxoplasmosis contracted?
Pregnant women can contract toxoplasmosis either by eating raw or not fully cooked meat, by eating fruit and vegetables that haven’t been washed or peeled properly, or through pets. Nevertheless, the chances of contracting toxoplasmosis during pregnancy are low: around 1 in 500 pregnant women in the UK are affected. As many women are already immune to it before becoming pregnant, the parasite cannot harm your unborn baby.

Diagnosis
If you’re concerned that you might have toxoplasmosis, a simple blood test will confirm whether you have it or not. The test checks for antibodies; if you have none, it means you’ve never contracted the infection and you may have further blood tests every month until your baby is born. If a test shows up positive during the course of your pregnancy, it means you’ve been exposed to the infection and you’ll need to take antibiotics.

What are the effects on the fetus?
The toxoplasmosis parasite is known for the complications it can cause in the fetus’s development, particularly during the first trimester when the nervous system is developing. It’s estimated that the infection is passed onto 17% of babies during the first trimester, 25% during the second semester and 60% during the third trimester, but contracting it during the third trimester is less serious. There is no vaccine for toxoplasmosis; prevention is the key. There is a risk of birth defects (impaired vision, hearing damage, enlarged liver or spleen).

Precautions to take during pregnancy
To reduce the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis, you need to adopt strict levels of hygiene. You should avoid touching raw meat and make sure any meat you eat is well cooked. Wash your hands as often as possible, especially if you’ve been in contact with soil, and wear gloves if you garden. Be very careful when emptying cat litter trays, again you may want to wear gloves or get someone else to do this for you.